Hold me in your arms and I'm home
by Gemmaaaaa
Summary: It's the ten year reunion for students from Coruscant high and more importantly, a long awaited reunion for two former lovers. (Modern AU!)
1. Chapter 1

She hesitates at the top of the stairs for far longer than what's strictly necessary. Once she's down there, there's no turning back. Stepping off the final stair confirms her attendance tonight more than any button clicked on the Facebook invitation ever could. It's only after counting to one hundred and several deep breaths that she's able to work up the courage and begin the decent.

Still unused to being here again, her curious eyes scan every inch of the hallway available to her sight… The house is so much smaller than she remembers it… Since moving to college and then Washington immediately after, chances to return to her childhood home have been rare at best. Most holidays during college were spent interning or studying, and now whenever possible it's her family who visit her. Now more than ever since she got her hands on her beautiful new apartment. But somehow, being back here after so long away is odd. Nothing has changed and yet everything has. Old high school friends have settled down, married and had a few babies while she's been working on her career. Most of the women she went to school here with opted for the full time mommy route.

Not Padme.

High school reunions are horrible enough – she'd heard enough horror stories to make her skip out on the five year reunion – but knowing tonight, after all these years she's going to have to come face to face with him again makes it so much worse. She'd much rather climb into her car and drive without stopping until she's safely back in Washington and the memory of him is just that. _A memory_.

They haven't spoken since the end of the summer after high school graduation… Not even once. She thought it might be easier that way, a clean break, no temptations or late night sobbing phone calls filled with promises neither could ever keep. It was for the best, that's what she told herself, and him. August came and they went their separate ways. Now ten years later, she can't avoid this reunion and it's terrifying.

Once upon a time, Padme Naberrie _loved_ Anakin Skywalker. She loved him deeply and passionately and he loved her too. As kids they'd been inseparable, more so as they grew up together. Their close friendship had always toed the line between something much, much more and eventually at sixteen, they'd taken the plunge one night, drunk on the scotch she'd stolen from her parents' cupboard. One sloppy kiss she truthfully only half remembers was the start of it all.

And his slurred love confession, she cannot forget that.

As is the fate of all high school sweethearts the dreaded discussion of " _the future"_ came in senior year when they couldn't ignore it any longer. They discussed everything from going to college together to running away together – the latter being Anakin's suggestion of course. In the end he'd been fully committed to the idea of attending any college that meant they could be together. It was a sweet dream, but naive. She wanted politics and he wanted engineering and few colleges supported both. The ones that did meant a lower quality of education for one of them and though Anakin was ready to sacrifice his dreams for her, she couldn't let him. It wouldn't be fair. He deserved as much of a chance at education and a career as she did. How could she ever let him settle for less than he deserved just for her?

He cried, she cried, but the end came just the same. Their goodbye was tense and painful and she watched, fighting more tears, as he drove down the street, turning the corner and vanishing from her life entirely. She'd somehow managed to wait until getting home to cry. And _oh_ she wept until her shoulders shook and her pillow was soaked as her mother and sister swore there'd be other loves and better times.

Looking back now, she supposes they were right, to an extent.

There had been other loves, other boyfriends… A string of suitable men studying to become great men. Some worked well with her, others did not. Some couldn't keep it in their pants while others were too committed too fast. She'd almost settled down with her last boyfriend, Rush, but something about the entire relationship just seemed wrong from the beginning. He loved Padme Amidala, the politician, the elegant woman, not Padme Naberrie who cried over a pint of ice-cream in her pyjamas and UGG boots while watching " _Titanic"_ for the thousandth time. He loved who she _could_ be, one half of her, not all of her and she refused to settle for that.

One last sigh and she calls goodnight to her parents as she steps out the door.

* * *

Much like her home, the hallways of Coruscant high feel much smaller than her memories painted them to be. How did hundreds of students _fit_ in here? How had she leaned against those lockers time and time again without a care in the world and not realised just how rusted and aged they were? Were they always like this? Had the years been unkind to the school since her departure?

Whatever the answer, it's surprisingly nice to be here again. This school holds so many memories, good and bad… Being here again brings many of them rushing back… Her friends, Anakin, prom... She feels like her old high school self again for a brief moment as her old locker comes into sight and she can't resist stopping for a peak. Running her fingertips along the cold metal, a bittersweet smile tugs at her lips as she touches the knob and for old times sake enters her old combination. She still remembers it as if all her time here was merely days ago, not a decade.

It doesn't work and she has to try not feel disappointed.

After that she continues down the hallway with no interruptions and finds the small table set up covered in tags with names she vaguely recognises yet cannot imagine faces to match them. Behind the table, former prom Queen Aayla Secura sits, legs crossed with her too short dress rising high on her thighs. _Some things never change_. The woman pays her no mind and merely instructs her to find her tag and head inside. She finds it easily enough, and begins the act of pinning it to her dress when she's all but tackled into a strong embrace, making her stumble in her heels, almost falling flat onto her face.

"Padme!" The familiar voice is the only thing keeping her from getting angry… There is only one person that voice could belong to, someone she missed terribly those first months in college. Her high school best friend, the once keeper of all her secrets.

"Sabe!" Upon recognising her assailant, her arms return the hug eagerly, name tag slipping through her fingers and forgotten entirely as it hits the floor. Facebook has not done her former friend justice! She's stunning! Nobody would ever believe she'd had three children! Pulling back, the women take a moment to eye one another with ridiculous smiles. Getting over the loss of her friend was almost as bad as… Well, getting over Anakin. "How are you?!"

"Good, good! The kids are great! We're actually adding a new conservatory so…" As terribly rude as it is, she tunes the woman out entirely as what she's been both anticipating and dreading since being invited to the event months ago happens at last. Over the woman's shoulder Padme spies the very person she's worried about seeing tonight, who she'd almost hadn't come to avoid. He's here… He's actually here, just a few meters away and approaching quickly.

Anakin.

He looks wonderful – more than wonderful, he looks fantastic! The handsome young boy she'd known has matured into a tall, muscled _man_ … His hair is longer too; previously cropped locks have grown into wavy curls reaching the end of his neck. It's slightly darker now, but a perfect complement to his tanned skin. The sight of him steals the breath from her lungs and dries her mouth. He seems to have avoided all forms of social media over the years – she's _looked_ – so she's completely unprepared for all the changes. He's so much more attractive now than he was before, perhaps because she too, has grown up. Whatever it is… His appearance alone has rendered her speechless.

The moment his gaze flicks up to meet hers, she smiles without thinking. Whether the action is borne of nervousness or excitement or the rush of familiarity she feels, it doesn't matter. His tongue darts out to wet his lips and she looks away, back to sweet Sabe and mutters a quick, "excuse me" before sidestepping her completely. Is it impolite? Yes… But right now decorum is the furthest thing from her mind.

Anakin however, stills where he is as she advances toward him, secretly thankful her assistant, Dorme, talked her into the tight black, knee length dress she's wearing… Especially as his eyes take their time roaming every inch of her. It's nice to know that despite everything, she still has some physical appeal to him… When she reaches him, the difference in his height finally registers in her mind along with everything else. He was always taller than her, but now he _towers_ over her, even with the few added inches from her heels.

He really has grown up.

Being a good speaker is part of her job description and giving speeches has become second nature to her but forcing a simple hello past her lips feels impossible right now. Suddenly she's the frozen one, stuck gawking at him like an idiot who has forgotten her words. Fortunately, Anakin suffers from no such issues, saving them both from an increasingly awkward silence. "Padme…"

In response his name flies from her mouth in a familiar whisper, "Anakin." She hasn't spoken his name out loud on such a long time… It almost doesn't feel real to do it now when he's right here. "You – you've grown." There have been few times in her life where cursing has felt appropriate – few, but they happened – and now is certainly one of them. _You've grown_?! Who says things like that? _She_ doesn't say things like that! She is a highly educated woman and _that_ is the best her scrambling mind offers her?

"So have you…" He smirks, that casually smug Skywalker smirk. She hasn't seen anyone smirk like that in ten years. Nobody else could ever pull it off, it's entirely his thing. "Grown more beautiful, I mean." Despite the fact she is a grown woman in the later years of her twenties, who deals with flattery every day of her life at work, his words send heat flushing through her cheeks. Oh God… She isn't prepared for this, not at all!

"Thank you…" She mumbles, glancing away toward a small crowd of people arriving together and for a moment, she's glad of the distraction. Seeing him again and talking to him is strange. She wasn't sure how tonight would go and truthfully she still isn't… But as her eyes wander back to his, catching him watching her, she doesn't feel like a grown woman anymore.

"Listen…" He begins quietly, sending dread sinking into her stomach. Oh no… This is it. He's about to tell her he brought a date – a girlfriend or wife out parking the car. As tonight crept closer and closer on her calendar, this scenario is something she'd tried to prepare herself for. She's been with other men, some for relationships, some for companionship and some… Well, some just for the sex. Of course he's been with other women. Just look at him! There's no way he hasn't been snapped up by some kind of supermodel or beauty Queen. It's alright, she's prepared. When he tells her, she'll smile her politician's smile and wish him well. It's going to be okay. "Do you wanna get out of here? We could… Talk?"

Oh.

She hadn't prepared for _that._

He wants to talk? While unexpected, the idea isn't unwelcome so she finds herself nodding and agreeing, then they're walking back through the hallway again just as they did so many times through the years and for a second, it's like nothing's changed. He may not be her boyfriend anymore, but he's still Anakin. And he's always been easy to talk to. They walk straight out of the school and past the car park as he explains his job – or business really. After college he opened up a mechanics place and when that grew successful, another one. It's exactly what he always wanted, and she can't lie and say she isn't proud of him.

She tells him all about her work and as always he frightens her with his political ideals though just like before, they laugh it off. It is a good thing he was never truly interested in politics. God help the world if he had been. He tells her she'd make a good President and means it though she laughs. He's the same Anakin she remembers and he makes her feel like the same old Padme again. It's nice… Really nice.

By their second lap around the block, she's getting a little cold… While her dress is stunning, it wasn't made for warmth and she shivers as a cold breeze rushes past them. When he notices her rubbing her arms slightly, he immediately begins shrugging off his jacket though she holds up her hands to stop him. "Oh, no. It's alright, Anakin honestly. You don't have to do that."

"You're cold, here, just take it." Before there's any time to protest, he drops the jacket onto her shoulders and she has to admit it, she feels much warmer immediately. And it smells like him… That doesn't hurt either… As they make their way back toward the school the tricky subject of relationships sneaks up on them. It always would, she's not naive enough to believe they could avoid it, but part of her wants to. The idea of _knowing_ he's with someone else rather than merely assuming isn't a pleasant one, especially after how well everything has gone. She'd much rather leave things on a lighter note and pretend she isn't curious at all.

Alas, it's not to be. "Well, I was seeing someone up until a month ago." He was? Oh… But that means he _isn't_ seeing this woman whoever she is right now… "But it turned out she was... _Well,_ " he winces, and she raises an eyebrow. What exactly was wrong with her? A usually supressed, immature part of herself is dying to know, she wants to hear every flaw and negative trait she had. "She was crazy."

"Crazy?!" She laughs, pulling his coat tighter around her shoulders for the warmth. That's all, it's just the warmth she needs.

"Yeah… I'm pretty sure she killed my neighbour's cat…" One hand flies to her mouth for a moment, stifling more laughter. He can't be serious right now! There's just no way anyone would really go as far as that… Right? Then again, if anyone could attract that level of crazy, it's Anakin.

"No she didn't!"

"I'm telling you! I broke up with her and a few days later the cat was missing!" He's ridiculous… Shaking her head, her gaze lands on the cracked pathing stones ahead as they walk, falling into a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Since he's been honest with her – to an extent, the cat just ran away and he _knows_ it – she supposes it's her turn now. Never once did she imagine talking to _Anakin_ of all people about Rush… Or Palo… Or even Bail. No, she'll stick to Rush.

"I was in a relationship too." Her confession comes quieter than his with far less humour. "About a year ago actually, but he… Well, he really only wanted my work persona. Not the real me." She finishes with a shrug and keeps her eyes straight ahead. She's long over Rush, but it's just _odd_ talking about him with Anakin. It's not a situation she envisioned happening tonight.

"Well, I've never met work Padme," Anakin starts after a moment, drawing her gaze back to him, "but I already know I like regular Padme better." They enter the parking lot again, slowing their pace as they approach the first car nearest the exit. She can't believe he'd say something like that… He's dared to flirt with her more than once tonight and been fun especially when she played along but this… It's not flirting. She knows his flirting. This is genuine.

Genuine isn't something she comes by very often these days.

"Anakin…" He's always been wonderful at sweet words while she's barely able to sting a coherent complement together if she means it. Ask her about the economy and she'll talk for days but expressing her feelings is another thing altogether. It's just much more… Difficult. Especially when, after tonight they're going to return to their very separate lives and probably never see each other again. How can she open up to him while knowing that?

Unlike her, Anakin has no hesitation and reaches up to cup her cheek in his hand. The familiarity of the gesture is near overwhelming… It's absurd. She hasn't felt his touch in _years_ and now they're here, outside their old high school he gives it freely. He's always been generous with such physical expressions, even when they were kids and it was merely hugging. But it's been so long and she isn't ready to open herself up to all that hurt again. "I haven't stopped thinking about you once in ten years Padme."

It takes all her focus not to gasp as the calloused pad of his thumb stokes her cheekbone softly. He's a romantic at heart; she's always said so… But his passion doesn't make him a liar. When Anakin says something, he _means_ it. But all this time? He's been thinking about her all this time? She'd be the liar if she said she hadn't thought about him too but – but how can he… What is she supposed to say?

"Anakin, I…" Her words die in her throat and no others follow them. She wants to speak, to say something – _anything_ – but what? Can she tell him that he's haunted her mind since he left? That the memory of him alone destroyed her relationship with Bail because she could never stop comparing them? That deep down, even though they were just teenagers, she loved him just as much as she loves him now?

Because she does. She always has, for as long as she can remember, it's always been Anakin.

"What? Tell me…" He breathes as his hand slides around to hold her neck instead, angling her face so their eyes meet and the intensity of his gaze locks her in. It makes her shudder the way it always did when she caught him looking like that, like she's all that matters.

There is no stopping the words after that, she doesn't bother to try. Locking away the truth in her heart all this time has been tiring, so, _so_ tiring and she wants to set it free at last. This may be her only chance. Even if she'll regret it come morning, or it breaks her heart when they leave each other again, at least she'll have this moment to remember. "I love you." The words ease out of her lips as easily as breathing, "I always have..."

He echoes the words quietly, just barely audible over the thump of the music coming from the gymnasium but she hears them and she plans to remember his voice whispering them for the rest of her life. It may be all she has. His hand slips up, into her straightened hair, using the leverage to tug her head back and then his lips are on hers again for the first time in a decade. _Oh_ , she's missed this… Missed the taste of him, the feel of him against her, the sensation of being utterly swept away by him. She's missed it all. He swallows her sigh and slips his free arm around her waist, holding her closer as her own arms snake around his neck.

It doesn't feel like ten years have passed between them anymore. Right now, they're not the former high school sweethearts, the exes, they're just Anakin and Padme, two people head over heels for each with a chance to rekindle what once was and nothing else matters.

Anyone could come out here and stumble upon them… No doubt they'd imagine they're just a pair of old lovers, drunk on the cheap wine provided, giving into an intoxicated kiss. Perhaps they'd be right… She _is_ drunk, but not on any alcohol. She's intoxicated by him, drunk on his kiss and he commands her every thought as their tongues become reacquainted with one another.

She feels like a giggling schoolgirl all over again as her back collides with the car behind her. His car, she thinks. It's not the first time he's pushed her up against a car though she hopes this time pans out better than the last. They don't need his alarm going off and alerting people to their presence. The memory of her dad walking into the garage to catch them hastily fixing their clothes still haunts her to this very day. She doesn't want to relive it with everyone inside the school right now.

His lips busy themselves working magic against her neck, breathing fire on her skin while his trembling fingers attempt to unlock the doors. He presses the button overzealously, only managing to relock the vehicle at first and she hears his curse as he tries again. This time, he accomplishes it, and the silent flash of lights seems far, far too bright in the near pitch black parking lot for a moment. He doesn't open the doors right away, instead pocketing the keys again and freeing his hands to slide along the subtle curves of her hips, sending sparks of arousal shooting through her body.

She'd lost her virginity to him all those years ago, in her small twin bed when her parents were away for the night and at the same time took his own. It was awkward and fumbling and not all that pleasant for her… He enjoyed himself very much though if memory serves. But after more attempts, some ending prematurely when he lost control of himself, they _learned_. They learned what felt good, what pleased each other and themselves until it became _so good_ between them. As his hands dip lower, hoisting the hem of her dress up to her thighs, she momentarily wonders if he's learned anything new since their parting… She knows she has. Palo may have been a cheating bastard, but he taught her some _wonderful_ things.

" _I want you_ ," he groans into her ear, leaning forward so the hard bulge beneath his dark jeans presses against her stomach. "I want you here, now… In the car… Just like before." The suggestion and memory of their last fun in a car sends wave after wave of liquid heat pooling below her waist Oh _God…_ They shouldn't. That – doing that would be crazy! They're adults now, they know better than romping in the back seat of his car in such a public place. And she's a _politician!_ She has a reputation to uphold, if anyone ever found out… She'd be a laughing stock! And yet… She _wants_ it too. They've waited ten years for this moment; she doesn't want to wait any longer, not even to find somewhere more private.

"Ani…" His old nickname falls from her lips freely, and the sound of it tears an agonised moan from him as he pushes her dress higher, exposing her black lace panties to the cold air. "Please…" She has no idea what she's asking from him, but she hopes he finds a way to give it to her anyway. How has he has gotten her so worked up with such little effort? She can hardly _think_ straight! His thumb rubs against her clit suddenly, making her gasp and arch into him, desperate for more. Nobody ever affected her like he did… She's had some great times with others but no one truly compared to Anakin.

"You're so wet…" He whispers against her cheek, pushing the thin lace of her underwear aside to brush two fingers along where she aches for him. "You want me, don't you? You're this worked up just for me." He always was possessive, a quality she never liked, but right now that doesn't matter, not when he's touching her like this… He can be as possessive as he wants so long as he doesn't stop what he's doing.

"Yes Ani…" It feels so good. _More_ , she needs more…

"Say it. Tell me you want me." The whispered demand makes her shudder and arch further into his too gentle touch. Isn't the physical proof enough? Why does she have to say it too? " _Say it._ " He repeats more forcefully when she merely whimpers and withdraws his hand. _No_! No, he can't do that… She needs him _so_ badly…

"I want you! Please Ani… Please… I want you to-" Her next words are swallowed by his desperate kiss, forgotten as he plunders her mouth mercilessly. It's exactly what she needs though his hand doesn't get back to touching her. What is he doing? He can't just stop like that, it's not fair! Instead of touching her, he busies his hands instead with _tearing_ her soaked panties clean off her legs, ruining them and dropping them to the concrete. She – she'll get them later. They don't matter right now.

Wanting a little control for herself, she lifts two hands to push at his chest, making him stumble back slightly and the slight inspires a smirk of her own. "Get in the car." She orders haughtily and he raises an eyebrow at the command… He said he wanted her like this, didn't he?

He does as he's told with a husky chuckle, climbing into the backseat and through the window she watches him pull the keys out of his pocket dropping them to the floor. Climbing in after him is slightly more difficult than she remembered it being, they _are_ taller than they used to be, she supposes… Especially him. But she manages, straddling his lap as he drags the door shut behind her. She hadn't realised just how much she missed him – and this – over the years. She's wetter than she's ever been and all they've done is kiss with a little touching! Has he missed her too? He said he still loves her, but did he _miss_ her? It's different.

Grinding her hips down against the hardness between his legs draws an aroused hiss from Anakin's lips, so she does it again, circling this time and his hands fly to her waist to help her repeat the action. Once she has him good and ready, her hips still, making him pant, and whispers, "have you missed me?"

His eyebrows knit together in a confused frown and she waits patiently for her question to settle into his lust fogged mind. "What? Of course I did." Rough hands wander beneath the bunched up remnants of her dress, caressing the smooth skin of her stomach and moving higher until his palms fill with her breasts, making her head tip back. He remembers _just_ what to do, tweaking and pinching her nipples in just the right ways to make her quiver with want.

"I missed you too…" She confesses and suddenly, she can't wait any longer. She _needs_ him! Her head ducks down so her lips hover over his mouth, watching the way his own lips part for her just slightly, as if he doesn't even know he's doing it and she can't resist flicking her tongue out to drag across his lower lip. Her hands get to work almost frantically on undoing his belt, fumbling slightly in the cramped space but she's undeterred, desperate and shameless about getting what she wants tonight. How far she's come from being the trembling teenager who'd blush at his touch.

Anakin notices the difference too, moaning as she palms him through his pants, hips bucking up to meet her hand. "What- When did you get so bold?" The belt gives up its fight at last and she yanks it free from its looped traps with a quiet _hiss_ , tossing it over her shoulder to the passenger seat. Once she deals with the button and zipper, he's left only in the cotton confinements of his boxers, the hardness she inspired is tented, begging for her attention and she gives it, gently running her fingertips over him with a smirk.

"I've done a lot of learning since over the years." He lifts his hips again to help her pull the jeans and boxers down, freeing his cock to her curious gaze. Not much has changed but he almost seems… Bigger… Is that possible? Maybe it's just been too long since she saw him so intimately. It doesn't matter. What _does_ matter is the pleasured groan he gives when her hand grips the base, pumping gently. She's always enjoyed giving pleasure and watching the faces of her lovers as she does so – especially Anakin… His expressions are always so beautiful.

"Never again," he grunts, pushing up into her touch. What is he talking about now? She raises a curious eyebrow at the statement as her fingers reach his swollen tip and twist slightly, making him twitch. " _No one_ else but _me_ from now on." He snarls it viciously… It's another one of those unkeepable promises they give one another. What else could it be? She lives in Washington! And he doesn't! He has two businesses elsewhere to run and long distance rarely works, especially when not on a temporary basis.

She doesn't answer, not wanting to ruin this with cold reality so she and guides his tip to her soaked folds instead, teasing them both by rubbing him along her slickness. It feels nice – _really_ nice making it easy to forget about tomorrow and what's going to happen and to think instead on what's happening right now. To live in the moment. It's not difficult, especially when the head of him grazes her clit so agonisingly slowly. No, there's no room for real life inside the car right now, not until this – whatever this is – is over.

"Padme… _Fuck_ …" He jerks up once more, brushing her clit again and making her whimper his name quietly, both hands flying grip the back of the seat by either side of his head as she grinds down against him, moaning as they side against one another. It's so _dirty_ and arousing all at once. "Do you – _ah!_ Do you have any condoms?" The question stills her hips against him because no… She doesn't have anything… After ending it with Rush, she'd kind of fallen off of taking her pill every day. There was no need to; she had no desire to fall into bed with anyone. But now…

"No. Do you?" His hands stroke her waist, easing her back down against him as he moves again, rubbing against her so deliciously; she's helpless against it, unable to resist beginning the dance all over again. From the look on his face alone, she knows the answer. She sees him swallowing, perhaps searching for some restraint, and grips the seat harder.

"I didn't exactly come here tonight expecting this…Just…" His hands tighten around her waist, " _please_ , can we… Just this once…" He pulls her down against him and mouths at the skin of her throat, nipping her and licking the sharp sting he leaves in his wake. "I want you so bad. I _need_ you Padme… Please…" She knows what he's asking her and they _shouldn't_. It would be the stupidest thing they could ever do, but as he rocks against her again, all coherent thought flees her mind leaving her mind susceptible to her body's will. There are so many risks and yet she trusts him. She _loves_ him… And he loves her, that counts for something right? He's not lying when he tells her badly he wants her, she can feel how hard he is against her, throbbing with need for her. She wants him too.

It's stupid and irresponsible, but she attacks his mouth with her own, licking her way past his lips and with the help of his hands anchoring her hips, she sinks down onto him. They both moan as he's fully sheathed inside her and she slides one hand into his curls, fisting and tugging his head back to drag her lips across his jaw. They move together heatedly, falling into a quick, furious rhythm. She rides him hard, rising and falling on his cock over and over while his hands play with her breasts. As she descends, he thrusts up to meet her, hitting that perfect sweet spot every time, dragging her closer and closer to bliss. He feels _so good_ … So big and pleasurable inside her. She'd forgotten how just great it could be between them, though without a condom, they're treated to a few extra sensations she's never experienced before.

It's so good… It feels amazing… He captures her lips and ravages her mouth passionately as they move faster, whispering love words between kisses. The wet slap of their bodies colliding is the dirtiest sound she's ever heard yet it only spurs her own in their sensual rhythm, bouncing on him, throwing her head back as the pleasure grows and grows, coiling tightly in her stomach. "Oh Anakin… Yes! _Oh God…_ "

"Fuck… Padme, you're so – _so tight_." His hands release her breasts and instead slip around to squeeze the swell of her ass, kneading the flesh there and pulling her down onto him harder. "So fucking tight… _Ugh_. You feel so good…" His words spike her arousal to new heights, hearing his pleasure, hearing how good she makes him feel is enough – more than enough to snap the tension rising within her, to open the dam and let the pleasure crash over her.

And crash, it does.

" _Oh my God… Oh Ani! Don't stop – yes!"_ She comes around all around him, inner walls fluttering furiously as her hips work to bring him over with her. He's not far behind; the near constant throbbing within her is a testament to that. It's difficult not to simply slump over him as her climax rushes through her body, but she manages somehow, determined to make it as good for him as it is for her. "Come for me." She whispers against his lips, feeling him tense beneath her, "please Ani… Let go… Come inside me, let me feel you… Please…" Each breathy plea pulls a pleasured grunt from him as his thighs shake and he holds her tighter still.

Finally he bursts, crying out as his pleasure hits at last and she works him slowly, letting him ride out every moment of his climax. He fills her with a series of violent ejaculations and a shaky thrust or two until the storm calms and there is peace as she collapses against him. They pant together, chests heaving and hearts racing. She's _exhausted_ … Every inch of her sated and sleepy as she rests her forehead against his collarbone and sighs against his skin.

" _That_ …" He pants, "that was one hell of a reunion." It's so silly and ridiculously true that she laughs breathlessly, pressing her cheek to his sweaty chest. What they just did was _beyond_ stupid… It's the biggest risk she's ever taken. The _only_ risk she's ever taken in this context. But she can't say she regrets it, not even slightly.

"I can't wait until the twentieth reunion to do it again." This time it's his turn to chuckle, leaning his head back against the headrest with an audible _thump_. After a few moments he recovers enough to gently lift her up to ease himself free of her with a content sigh. She can _feel_ him – the remnants of him left inside her – on her thighs and tries not to wince. It's an odd sensation… And slightly sticky.

"If you think I'm letting you get away for another twenty years…" Still in no mood to dash the fantasy, she merely hums quietly. But he doesn't take this and tips her chin up to meet his determined gaze. "I mean it Padme. Even if I have to sell the business or figure out a way to open up in Washington, I'm not going to lose you again." The oath is so sincere, she actually finds herself believing him… It's not just a pretence, or sweet promise to make parting easier… He _wants_ this.

He wants _her._ All of her in ways no one else ever has.

"Well all the mechanics I've been to there are awful. We _could_ use someone with your… Talents." He rewards her with the brightest, most captivating smile she's ever seen and maybe just _maybe_ she lets herself think, this time it could work.

 ** _Please review!_**


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, come on, _come on…"_ She begs the little piece of plastic in her hand. It _must_ have been thirty seconds by now, surely it must have! Seated uncomfortably on the edge of her bathtub, Padme breathes a long sigh and eyes her ceiling nervously. Never once in her entire life had she pictured herself in this situation – _never._ She was always… Better than this, too smart to end up here. But it's gonna be alright, she knows it is. It _has_ to be. This is just a bit of a scare, a lesson to be learned.

She has _learned_ it alright.

Her unexpected reunion with Anakin was deliriously wonderful, they'd both lost themselves in seeing each other again, in rediscovering all the feelings they'd harboured for so long that they just forgot to think. Thinking wasn't what they needed that night in the back of his car. It had been beyond enjoyable to let go and do what she wanted for once, to take something for herself without thinking of the consequences and in a lot of ways, it paid off.

She's never been happier, since that night there hasn't been a single day where she and Anakin have not spoken in one way or another. He, unlike her, was more than willing to attempt long distance if it meant they could be together and managed to her around. It's _hard_ , heart achingly difficult not getting to see him every day, but knowing he's hers again and she is his, just like before, makes the distance bearable.

They skipped the dating part, they already know everything there is to know about one another, and dove headfirst into the frightening grey area that is a relationship. They hadn't been in a relationship together as adults so agreeing to such commitment so quickly was terrifying, a huge risk to both their hearts. But they did it, hand in hand, together. Just how it should always be. Now they're together again, it's like everything is falling to place at last. There's a lot that has to happen, finding a way around the distance for starters, but they're _happy_. Elated. Joyful. Delighted. Any synonym she can think of, they're it.

Or they were. Their passionate reunion has come with an unexpected price, an ice cold splash of reality to drag her back to the consciousness that is real life. They were _stupid_ , they took a massive risk for pleasure and now… And now she's staring at the blank screen of a pregnancy test, frozen in place and petrified. She can't be… _Pregnant_. She just can't. Not now. It was one mistake, one risk… Just one time. They've always been so careful since… _It only takes one time._

She knows people who've taken the same risk themselves – her assistant, Dorme, did it without getting pregnant! Why can't she? Yes, if other people can do it and get away without any life changing consequences, then so can they. It's only fair.

This is the wrong time for… _That._ She and Anakin have only been back in each other's lives for a month! They're nowhere near prepared for a baby. Who would be in their position? Right now, they're just enjoying being with each other again, exploring this new relationship and the differences from before. They don't even live together! They've talked a little about Anakin moving to Washington but it's always agreed he'd find his own apartment… There is a _long_ way to go before their relationship is anywhere close to ready for – for a _baby_.

Why is this taking so long? Do these things always take forever? She gets up; ready to snatch the packet up from the counter and reread the instructions when her apartment is filled with a horrid _buzz_ , alerting her that someone is outside. _No..._ Not now! Anytime but now. Maybe she can just ignore them? Surely, whoever it is can just call her and leave a message if she doesn't answer… If it was something _really_ important, they'd call anyway.

The intercom's shrill hum resounds around the apartment again, so she drops the test onto the counter and reaches for the doorknob instead. Whoever this is, she'll get rid of them and by then, the result should be ready. Then she'll know. She _already_ knows. There is no way she's pregnant, _none_. Her period is just a little late is all, it's happened before when work has turned her into a living bundle of stress. And she just had a bug before, that's what made her so sick.

That has to be it.

She storms through her apartment, furious at the interruption and tense to get rid of the intruder. Whatever this is had better be something important… She should be in the bathroom right now, worrying herself sick over nothing. Because this _is_ nothing. Everyone has a pregnancy scare at some point in their twenties, right? Sola did… Dorme has… She's seen it in plenty of movies too. It's just her turn now.

Her fingers reach the little black button of the intercom as it rings again and she doesn't bother fighting back a scowl. _Who is this_?! The mailman has long gone and she hasn't ordered anything… Has she? The button pushes back slightly, allowing her to connect with whoever is outside the building with a little pressure from her finger, "hello?"

Whoever this is had better have a good reason for being here. She _needs_ to her answer, to ease her mind once and for all. Since the possibility popped into her head, she's barely been able to focus on anything else. Getting through work today was awful, especially without telling anyone. There was no point in telling anyone – even Dorme – because she _isn't_ pregnant. It would just be a waste of everybody's time when the result comes out negative.

" _Uh, I've gotta a delivery for a Miss Naberrie_." A strange male voice blasts over the intercom, making her frown. So there _is_ a delivery… What did she order? She has no recollection buying anything. She's guilty of shopping online more than she should – it's just _easier_ than traipsing though all the stores – but this time she's truly surprised herself. Maybe she did it at night? Another one of her guilty pleasures… Night shopping, then usually hating whatever she bought upon its arrival. That must be it.

"Alright, come on up." With one press of a button, she grants the delivery guy access to the building and reaches for her front door. He could take at least a minute or two to get all the way up here… She might have time to peak at the test if she hurries… No, just wait. Signing for whatever this is should only take a few seconds – a minute at most – she can handle waiting. Then she can take her time looking at the test without rushing.

It takes less than two minutes before she hears the telltale _ding_ of the elevator doors opening down the hall. Good, she doesn't want to be rude, but the sooner she can get rid of this man, the better. The result should be ready by now, just waiting for her to look at… One glimpse at the little plastic screen and her worries will be gone. Then she can go call Anakin and tell him what happened. There's a lesson to be learned here, and _he_ has to learn it just as badly as she does.

As the quiet _thump_ of heavy footsteps make their way toward her door, she disappears behind it to make room on the little table for whatever this package is. Opening it is the furthest thing from her mind tonight. Maybe after she gets done talking to Anakin, she can open it in celebration – along with a _very large_ glass of wine. When this is all over, she'll deserve it. "Well," the very last voice she expected reaches her ears and the surprise almost makes her drop the small lamp in her hands. "Have you missed me?"

"Ani?" Her body spins so quickly, it's a wonder she doesn't feel dizzy and her jaw slackens at the sight of him… _He's here!_ He's here. _Here._ Thankfully, her feet move of their own accord, guiding her into his waiting arms. It's only when she's in his embrace again that her mind finally begins to work, snapping her out of the surprised fog and her arms snake around his neck, clinging to him. It's been two weeks since she saw him… Not very long, but still far, _far_ too long for her tastes. She's missed him terribly – but he isn't supposed to be here. Not today! "What're you doing here?"

He lets her pull back, and she's treated with the sweetest smile lighting up his handsome face. He looks _so happy_ to be here with her again, and it's contagious. Of course she's happy, but this… This isn't what she expected at all. She has to work tomorrow morning! His hands squeeze her waist tightly, and gently slide up and down her sides, sending a small wave of shivers crawling across her skin. "I missed you." He admits, and her heart swells.

How did she get so lucky? So few people get to find someone to _truly_ love them, wholly and truly and she has found him twice. The thought leads her to cup his cheeks and draw his soft lips to hers. _Oh_ , she has missed him… So much… Even if it only has been two weeks. She intends the kiss to be gentle, chaste even and it begins that way, but it doesn't last long. They've missed each other far too much for that. It turns hot, deepening as his tongue drags wetly across her bottom lip, making her shudder against him. Her kiss becomes his as he takes over and the world falls away. Nothing else matters, not even the _burn_ in her lungs for the air she's depriving them of.

His hands wander, along her spine, cupping her backside tightly, slipping into her hair… She feels him everywhere and it's utterly enticing. Fourteen days is a long time to last without the touch of your beloved, it feels as if a lifetime has passed since she saw him, which is ridiculous. They've survived ten years apart… Two little weeks is nothing in comparison to that!

When at last, they pull apart; it's slow, gradual, reluctant even. If she could live without air, she'd kiss him for the rest of her life without stopping. "Padme…" It rolls off of his tongue in a whisper, each letter prolonged and unhurried, as if his mouth wishes to savour the taste of her name. Her heart flutters madly in response as his hands return to their original spot on her hips.

"I've missed you so much…" She murmurs with a content sigh, stroking her hand across his cheek and then down, over the dark shirt covering his chest. They've been so caught up in each other, neither has thought to shut the door behind them, but she doesn't care. The worst outcome is the sweet elderly woman across the hall stepping out to speak to them, retelling the same five stories over and over again. She's a nice lady… Just slightly irritating at times.

Anakin's only response is to hoist her up, into his arms, and she instinctively wraps her legs tightly around his waist to keep herself steady. His mind is clear enough to remember to kick the door closed before walking them further into the apartment, stepping over his black duffle bag to do so. Their lips collide again, offering her body the addictive dose of warmth she's craved so dearly in his absence. His kiss destroys every worry, every thought until there is nothing but _Anakin_ , the taste of him, the irresistible masculine scent he wears… Only him.

It's only when he drops them to the couch, her back landing on the soft leather while he hovers over her, his hot breath spreading fire across her skin, that everything comes rushing back, draining all the desire and elation of his surprise and replacing it with the same worry from before. _The test!_ The result is waiting for her! She can't continue with this until she knows the answer, her mind will never focus on him with the dark cloud of uncertainly hanging over their heads – one he has no idea even exists! But his lips feel so good against her neck, kissing a wet trail along her skin, working his way up towards her ear…

 _No_! She has to stop this… She has to… _Oh…_ His hand slips beneath her dress, caressing the silky skin of her inner thigh as his sharp teeth gently tug her earlobe, pulling a soft moan from her unwilling lips. He really knows what he's doing… But she can't… Not right now… His lips find her sweet spot, where her jaw meets her neck and gets to work, nipping at the sensitive skin then laving it with his tongue to soothe the sudden sting.

This is ridiculous. She need only tell him to stop and he will – without a moment's hesitation – and she can have the confirmation she needs to relax. But asking him to stop requires him _stopping_ , and that isn't something she wants. Not after being apart. For a moment, it's as if he senses her thoughts, as he tears himself off of her, panting. She'd be worried something is wrong if his eyes weren't raking across her breasts as they heave with each breath. _Typical_.

"Ani?" She murmurs, lifting a single hand to run through her hair but all he does is grace her with an aroused smirk and his face _vanishes_. She's forced to lean up on her forearms to see his head buried between her thighs, dragging his lips along the soft skin. Oh… Oh no… She – she can't let him… But – _ugh._ The pleasurable sensation of his hot breath against the damp barrier of her panties is abruptly replaced with the sharp sting of her panties torn off of her body mercilessly. He's never been a patient man. "That's _eight_ pairs you've ruined now!" She mutters slightly bitter; it's a trivial matter at best, but still annoying.

"I'll buy you new ones." He nips at her thigh, "I promise."

"You said that last time. Her underwear drawer is slowly becoming emptier and emptier with his every visit. She has to be unmatching more often than not these days… A girl doesn't feel very confident with a yellow bra and bright pink panties. "I'm starting to think you have something against my choices in underwear."

She hears his chuckle from between her legs. "I've wanted to do this every day since I left…" The words make her stomach clench as arousal floods her body, heating her blood to boiling point. He's going to be the death of her… She can't let him… Not until she's looked… " _I dreamed_ of you moaning my name," she whimpers wantonly, against her own will for his words alone. She _shouldn't_ be enjoying this – she has to tell him to stop! And she will… She just needs a second… "I've thought of tasting you the whole way here." He gives her one last smirk, and then disappears between her legs before she can stop him. A second later, his tongue reacquaints itself with her clit.

Her teeth automatically sink down into the unprepared softness of her bottom lip, near bursting it open to hold back the violent moan that almost bursts out of her mouth. Anakin shows no mercy, barely giving her a chance to _breathe_ much less anything else. He treats her to languid but broad strokes of his tongue, drawing pleasured sighs from her mouth. The touch is too gentle to do anything more than feel good – and he knows it. She's never going to come from this alone… But, it's enough to have her trembling beneath him, one hand reaching down to tangle her fingers in his curls tightly, holding to her – _he can't stop, not now, not ever._

Normally so skilful in this act, he becomes experimental, sampling delicious patterns across her needy little bundle of nerves and listens closely to what sounds fly from her lips in response. The louder he makes her cry out, the faster he moves, harder even sometimes. He grunts against her suddenly, when she tugs a little too roughly at his hair, but continues anyway much to her desperate relief. She's too worked up to think of anything else but his tongue and his lips… _Oh_ , nothing else crosses her mind as she's washed away in the sea of pleasure he gives her

And then he sinks his finger inside her.

Any hope he had of drawing this out must die as she flutters madly around his finger, hips jerking upwards to meet his amazing, _talented_ mouth. She can tell he knows this when he pulls her tortured clit into her mouth and curls his finger inside her, moving faster, and sucks _hard._ " _Oh my God… Anakin… Oh, yes…_ " She's so close already; he has her right there, dangling on the edge… She just… She needs _something._

His mouth releases her, and her head falls back to lean back against the arm of the sofa, grateful for the support as her thighs shake by either side of his head. It only takes a little more, the combined sensation of him adding a second finger and his teeth scraping across her clit to make her fly off that edge of bliss, practically _sobbing_ his name over and over and over again as he pleasures her, enduring her fingers tightening painfully in his hair, pulling at it slightly as stars explode behind her eyes. "Ani… Yes, _Anakin…_ Oh God – that's it… Uh… _Anakin_!"

As she recovers from the fantastic explosion of pleasure, his hands rub soothing patterns over her quaking thighs. Every inch of her is trembling beneath him…She hasn't come that hard since… Well since last time he was here. She is a _very_ lucky woman.

When at last, her body slumps, sated and relaxed, Anakin climbs over her again, head ducking down to catch her lips in the sweetest of kisses, brushing their lips together softly. It's exactly what she needs. Still thrilled beyond words at his sudden appearance, and now _that…_ She can only hum quietly, drawing an amused chuckle from him as he pulls back slightly, leaning his forearm on the arm of the sofa above her head.

She loves him… She _loves_ him. There is no such thing as a perfect love, of that Padme is sure. He is far from perfect, as is she… But they're perfect for each other and that's what matters in the end, isn't it? Loving each other not in spite of your flaws, but because of them. Anakin is the only one ever willing to love her so unconditionally, so openly and intensely. It's what she'd missed those ten years without him. She can only hope to make him even _half_ as happy as he makes her. This is what she wants, them, together again and never parting. He said before, in the back of his car that night, that he wasn't letting her go again, but she plans to cling to hold onto him _just_ as tightly this time. They're already bound together, souls mated by something pure, elemental even… He always said they were meant to be. And now…

Now, she may be pregnant.

The thought has her poor lip tugged between her teeth in worry. Love isn't enough sometimes… People in love are driven apart all the time by real life issues, by the stress of kids… People who've been together longer, _married_ people, soul mates. If it can do that to those people, what could this do to them? They aren't ready. Loving each other doesn't prepare you for the truth of parenthood; it takes much, much more. Financially, _if_ she is pregnant, they could manage. They have good jobs – he has a business… But personally, emotionally, they _aren't_ ready.

"What're you thinking about?" He asks as free palm fills with her cheek, stroking the rough, calloused pad of his thumb against the bone softly and strange, irrational tears spring to her eyes. She _can't_ be pregnant. Not now. They need more time for themselves; to forge something durable together, to make a life together before a family comes along. She just doesn't want to rush this, they're finally together again, and she wants slow. They _need_ slow.

"Nothing, I'm just… I'm just happy." It's surprisingly easy to lie to him about this… It's not even a true lie. She _is_ happy. But it's currently being overshadowed by the unanswered question in her mind. There's only one way to settle this, she has to see what the test says. Once she knows the reality, she can think – she can make a plan. They can figure out what they need to do.

But she _isn't_ pregnant. She can't be. This is just a scare… A terrifying moment.

"You don't look very happy, Padme." No, she can't imagine she does. But she _should…_ For Anakin's sake if nothing else. Her arms snake around him, letting her hands wander up and down his back, exploring the hard muscle beneath his shirt for a few moments until she slides one hand up, into his hair. She can show him how happy she is.

Their gazes hold for several moments, blue meeting brown, clashing intensely as, with her encouragement, he leans down again. Just like before their lips meet, so gently, barely brushing against each other until his tongue licks at the seam of her lips and she parts for him. They don't need to talk, it was always in the silence their passion burned brightest, where they can relax against one another and just forget that the world stretches beyond them. Right now, Padme isn't afforded the pleasure of forgetting, but he is… That's what matters.

It's only later, when all is said and done, while he sleeps by her side, naked and sated after a long session of vigorous love making that she allows herself a moment to not worry, but simply imagine, that Padme thinks to herself, he'd make a good father. Ready or not, he'd be wonderful with a child. Though it's not the right path for them now, maybe one day, it could be. She watches him sleep for several minutes, equally as naked and sated as he, but her mind can't rest. Not until she has the answer she needs.

One last glance at Anakin, and she slips out of bed, reaching for the lavender robe draped over her chair and pulls it onto her cooling body. He doesn't wake as she steps into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her, and for that, she's grateful. This has to be done on her own; she needs the quiet to be brave enough to look. How can one little glance at something made of plastic have the power to be so massive? Life altering! Fear holds her in place by the door for a few moments, as her nerves betray her at the sight of the test exactly where she left it on the counter. She thinks part of her would have been relieved to come in here and find it gone.

One deep breath, then another and she _can't_ hesitate anymore. The answer is right there, waiting for her. An entirely different life awaits her if the screen shows a plus, a confusing, unexplored area of life she'd be entering much too soon… One she isn't prepared for in the slightest. She's never even been very good with kids in the first place.

Bravely, she takes the three small steps toward the counter, heart pounding in her chest. The little screen faces downwards, slammed against the marble in her haste to reach the intercom earlier and it gives her a final moment of unknowing terror. Negative, it's going to be negative, and then all of this will have been for nothing. That's for the best; it's the answer she _needs_ to see because it makes sense. It's logical. Trembling fingers take the small white stick into her hands and fumble slightly to turn the screen in the right direction to at last clear this mess up.

 _Positive._


	3. Chapter 3

Pregnant.

She is _pregnant_ … There's a baby – _her_ baby – _Anakin's baby –_ inside of her. It doesn't feel real, no matter how many times the information replays in her mind in a constant loop, she just can't process it. Part of her still just can't believe it, not after taking a second and even a third test, all displaying the same undeniable result. _Positive._

How many other people in the world have done what they have and not ended up in this situation? _Millions_ probably! Padme _isn't_ a risk taker by nature; she likes to plan everything out, to keep one step ahead of everyone… Just _once_ in her whole life she did something stupid, ignored the uncertainty and just did what she wanted… And now… And now consequences have come crashing down…

It's not that she's _opposed_ to the idea of children, quite the opposite really, a family of her own is something she's always wanted one day. _One day._ When she's ready and prepared, settled down with someone she loves, just like her parents did, like Sola did… A night of passion rekindling an old relationship is _not_ how she pictured this happening at all. At least she's actually _in_ a relationship, it could be worse she supposes. If she and Anakin just gone their separate ways after the reunion, this could have been disastrous.

Just thinking about the man she loves, her boyfriend… The _father of her child_ , a crippling fear clutches at her throat, making her feel a nausea that has little to do with the what she supposes was morning sickness that woke her up so early this morning.

They're going to be parents…

How is this going to work? They don't even live in the same _state!_ For all that they whisper about him selling up his business or opening another here, it's all just – just more empty promises! He can't sell everything he worked _so hard_ to achieve, asking him to do that would be like asking _her_ to walk away from her own career. The mere _thought_ makes her sick. It's too much; it would be selfish to let him do that, even for her… And the… And the baby. What's worse is, she knows he'd do it! He'd do it without a moment's hesitation and never look back.

He's always been too good for her.

She meant what she said when she thought he'd make a good father… Anakin has always been great with kids, they love him and he loves playing with them. And he told her that after his mother's death, all he wanted was a family of his own, to feel complete again, _loved_ again even, but _that_ is no reason to bring a baby into the world! He wanted those things out of grief, not from being ready to shift his life around a child – _their_ child. Besides, his mother's passing happened years ago, his wants might have changed, especially since his business has taken off so wonderfully. He's surprised her this past month, at just how _driven_ he's become. While as a teenager, he'd had his dreams of course but true _ambition_ was something he lacked. If anything his dreams were fuelled by a strange sense of entitlement from the world, not a desire to make them a reality on his own… But it's different now, _he's_ different now.

That's what has been best about their separation, it's given them a chance to change, to grow up and learn before coming back to each other… They're different people to who they were before and Padme has enjoyed exploring these differences in him, she wants more time for that, to just be them and find their way together before… Well, _this._ It's the furthest thing from the right time for either of them. Their jobs are extremely demanding and time consuming, how are they supposed to balance a baby too? If Anakin goes home, or even finds a way to split his time between there and here, she's still going to be left to take care of the baby on her own at least a few days out of the week… How can she manage that and her job?

Her mom left work after getting pregnant with Sola, and Sola left work after getting married… Padme _is not_ following in their footsteps. She _loves_ her job, she lives and breathes politics, and she's worked too damn hard to get where she is to give it up now. If she has this baby, she _will_ keep working, no matter what it takes. It's easier to be a working mom these days, right? There are daycares and nannies… They can figure something out…

None of that changes the fact she doesn't want a long distance family. If she and Anakin have this baby, she doesn't want to have family conversations over Skype! It's hard enough being separated from him now for weeks at a time, but enduing it with a baby too? It would kill her! But what could they do? She really doesn't have any answers…

At some point today, she _has_ to talk to him… The sooner he knows, the sooner they can come to some kind of agreement and they can figure out what they're going to do. But telling him involves _telling_ him. The idea is terrifying! How do you tell a man you've only been reunited with for a month, that you're pregnant with his baby? It's not that she's afraid of his reaction exactly, but of what comes afterwards. Once Anakin knows, then it's _real_ – they're really having a baby. She isn't sure she's ready for the reality to hit quite yet.

While she muses, she sips on her coffee in the kitchen – she can still have this, right? – and listens to the running water of Anakin showering. He said he was here for a week, didn't he? That's plenty of time to figure something out… That is, if she works up the nerve to tell him today. Maybe if she calls Dorme and makes some kind of excuse, she can get away with skipping work today – there are important things she has to get done, but this is more important. They only have a week together, seven days to wrap their heads around the fact their lives are never going to be the same again. That's not enough time, not nearly enough…

As she sighs into the hot beverage, the bathroom door swings open behind her and a moment later a warm, damp body is pressed against her back as twin arms come to rest on the counter by either side of her, trapping her against him. "Are you hungry?" She asks without really needing to, Anakin is _always_ hungry, it really is just as well he works out as much as he does otherwise she suspects his physique would be _very_ different. At first, the only answer she's given his the sensual feel of his lips kissing a sweet trail along her neck, one hand abandoning its post in favour of sweeping her hair out of the way, onto her other shoulder, exposing more of her to his ravenous mouth.

"Definitely…" The word comes muffled against her skin, making her giggle quietly. "But not for food."

 _Very_ _surprising_ … As incredible as she believes he is, Anakin is a rather simple man. Honest too, almost brutally sometimes. She's always loved that about him, now more so than ever after experiencing _years_ worth of insincere flattery at work. Honestly is an underrated trait these days. "Why doesn't that shock me?"

He ignores her snark in favour of a sharp nip at her skin and she gasps at the sting. "I want to spend this whole week with you." He whispers lowly, "we'll do whatever you want." His words are so sweet, she can't resist leaning back against him a little despite the lingering dampness soaking through her thin nightie and onto her own skin. She'd give _anything_ to have an entire week just to themselves with no distractions or work to pull them apart, but that's just _not_ possible. She can steal today to be with him, but anything else would be pushing her luck…

"You know, I _do_ have commitments outside of this relationship Ani." Padme drawls, savouring the way he chuckles quietly before scraping his teeth across her pulse. "And my boss would have my head put on a spike if I missed any more than a day. We're in the middle of a huge campaign to-"

"Just today then? Please?" The sweet kiss he places beneath her earlobe is enough to soothe the slight irritation she feels at him cutting her off like that. Anakin has zero interest in politics, less than zero… He practically abhors everything to do with it, and as a result struggles to get through even the most interesting of her work stories without interrupting or seeking some kind of distraction. It can be _infuriating_ at times. When this baby comes along, she'll teach them just how important the world of politics is before daddy here can make it all about cars and engines and sports.

"Oh, now you're just asking too much from me." She teases him playfully, reaching forward to grab one of her newspapers from the neat pile in faux indifference. She'd already planned to take the day off, but he doesn't need to know that right away. He doesn't give her very long to enjoy her smug joke, the second she has the paper open at a random page, a damp hand knocks it out of her grasp and back onto the table.

" _C'mon_ , Padme…" His hot breath wafts over her ear, making her shiver, "you know you want to… We could go out, get some breakfast, or go see some of the touristy crap. Or…" The hand that just assaulted her paper lands gently on her thigh, squeezing before slipping upwards, inching higher, beneath her silky nightie with clear erotic intent and she's helpless against him, instinctively parting her legs _just_ slightly. "We _could_ just spend the whole day in bed."

She turns her head a little to see him from the corner of her eyes, but he isn't looking at her, his eyes are trained firmly on the newly uncovered skin of her thighs and she almost rolls her eyes. A simple man indeed. He's a total one track mind kind of person… Which is exactly how they ended up in this position in the first place. "You're getting my floor all wet…"

His hand moves quickly, before realises what he's doing and brushes his thumb against her clit so suddenly that it's all she can do to hold back the cry her body wants him to hear… There is no stopping small squeak that does manage to pass her lips however and Anakin _delights_ in it. "That's not the only thing I'm getting wet…" He mutters huskily against her ear, pulling a gasp from her unwilling lips this time as his thumb repeats the action again, slower and harder this time.

"You – _oh_! You're disgusting…"

"And you _love_ it."

Well, she can't deny that at all.

* * *

By the time they make it out of bed – and then the shower afterwards – they're both beyond starving. Though, after calling Dorme pretending to be sick and claiming she'd be in bed all day recovering, Padme feels a little guilty about going out. Maybe it's just lying to her friend has unsettled her slightly, but she'd rather just stay in and order take out, just in case. It would be just her luck to run into her boss or Bail or anyone she works with after calling in sick for the first time.

Anakin just says she's crazy.

In the end, she lets him talk her into going out for lunch, because they only have week together and they _should_ be going on dates while they have the chance. If they didn't go out, after he left her again she would have regretted it. Besides, what's the harm in a sweet date with her boyfriend? Maybe them being out together is a perfect chance to tell him about the… The _news?_ The setting will certainly be romantic and she's _sure_ this is going to make him happy, she truly is… It's just… What she isn't so sure of is _her own_ reaction.

There hasn't been enough time for her to think all this through, to _truly_ map out the possible scenarios and search her feelings… She doesn't feel _unhappy_ exactly… But at the same time, this doesn't feel anything like she thought it might. Sola _cried_ with _joy_ when she found out she was pregnant with Ryoo, Padme was with her while waiting for the result and to this day she's never seen anyone so truly happy or grateful for anything since her sister in that moment. She supposes she'd just always assumed finding out she was pregnant would feel like _that._ But it _doesn't_. The difference is, Sola and Darred _tried_ for a baby after being married for a year, she and Anakin didn't try. They haven't even _thought_ about children.

Her whole life, Padme just took for granted that her experiences with impending motherhood would inevitably mirror her mother and sister's. Not the settling into being a housewife, she was never meant for that, but she'd thought she'd be settled into a life with the man she loved and be _ready_ for a baby… Maybe after a few years of marriage and a little travelling if possible. After she's truly done some _good_ with her life through her work… This is _quite_ far from that scenario. Obviously, she _loves_ Anakin, and she never wants to be apart from him again, but having a _baby_ together? After only a month?

She has no idea how to feel.

Maybe seeing Anakin react will help her understand what's going on with her… He may share the same concerns she does – she hopes that he does! Then they could have a real and frank discussion about this, one that isn't clouded by a naive burst of joy… Though something tells her it'll be the latter option. Anakin is all heart, and she loves that about him, but just this once, it would be nice to have her concerns validated, to know there isn't something wrong with her, that he feels the same way she does about this.

"Padme?" Her name interrupts the stressing train of thoughts and her eyes snap up from her empty plate to meet Anakin's concerned gaze. She totally spaced out on him… No wonder he's worried, she would be too if the tables were turned. Should – should she tell him now? Earlier, before they'd arrived at the restaurant and eaten, it seemed like a good idea, but now the opportunity has come she can feel her hands trembling against the pretty white tablecloth as apprehension destroys the will to share the news. _She can't…_ Not yet. She just needs a couple more minutes.

"I – I'm fine…" Somehow she manages to smile as the nice waiter arrives to collect their plates. "Just got a little lost in thought, that's all." It's not a lie exactly… She just doesn't want to tell him what those thoughts are about right now. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? He'll know all about it later. "Did you want to order dessert or…?"

He knows something is going on, she can see it in the narrowing of his eyes but she ignores it as best she can in favour of grabbing the menu and opening it up. The idea of actually telling him what's going on right now makes her want to throw up… No… She _really_ wants to throw up… The nervousness must be getting to her more than she thought. Forcing another smile for Anakin's sake, Padme reaches out to grab her glass of iced water in the hopes that it'll settle her stomach a little. The cool water helps the flush of warmth spreading through her skin, but does nothing for the nausea assaulting her stomach. Suddenly, the thought of eating anything else makes her want to vomit up her lunch.

"I'm alright…" Anakin mutters and she's beyond relieved. Maybe getting outside will make her feel better? The fresh air could get rid of this awful sick feeling… "Do you?" In response Padme can only shake her head and keep her lips tightly sealed. For a horrible second, it feels like even just opening her mouth will make her ill. This can't be just nerves… What if it's some kind of morning sickness… In the afternoon… Is that even possible? It's either that, or extremely fast acting food poisoning. Thankfully, he requests the bill and the waiter delivers it quickly enough. The sooner they pay, the sooner she can get outside and stop feeling like this.

Since Anakin is her guest this week, it's only fair that she take care of the bill. Besides, she's a modern woman, paying for a date is perfectly fine with her – she _likes_ doing it. It's nice to treat him the way he likes to treat her. She reaches across the table for the little black tray hosting the paper receipt but Anakin, with the advantage of longer arms, gets it first. Ever the traditionalist… It's a battle to get him to let her pay for _anything_ when they're together. It's very sweet, but she really doesn't mind paying every now and again! "Ani..." She scolds him playfully but he only rolls his eyes.

"I'm supposed to be taking _you_ out, remember? This was my idea. It's on me." He smiles smugly for a second, before returning his eyes to the price printed onto the paper. Just because it was his idea doesn't mean he should be lumped with the payment… That's hardly fair. She leans over the table slightly in another attempt at grabbing the bill out of his hand, but unfortunately he sees her coming and holds it up, just beyond her reach.

" _You_ are supposed to be my guest this week! Now give it to me!" She pouts, sitting back down before her dress rides up too high… Other customers seeing her underwear peeking out from beneath the hem really is the last thing she needs right now. Anakin ignores her completely, and pulls his wallet out of his pocket and this time it's her turn to narrow her eyes. She should be paying for him this time – he paid for _everything_ last time she visited him. It's her turn now. "Anakin Skywalker, do not make me cause a scene."

"Yeah, yeah…" He dismisses her threat with an amused wave of her hand and gets back to pulling cash out of his wallet and she slumps back in her seat, defeated. Next time… She'll pay next time and he can't do _anything_ to stop her! As they pull on their jackets and head for the entrance, the nausea assaults her body again, violently this time so there's nothing she can do to prevent or hold back the vomit filling her mouth. The bathroom is far back, on the other side of the restaurant, and the thought of running back doesn't even occur to her. Instead, she lurches forward and grabs the beautiful vase from the reception desk and throws up into the neck of it. It's _humiliating_ , and disgusting and completely necessary. It was either the vase of the floor and this seems like the better of the two.

By some small mercy, the vomiting spell doesn't last long and when she sheepishly glances up from the ruined decoration, all she sees is the worry on Anakin's face as he grabs her shoulders. "Are you alright?" Still bombarded with the terrible sick feeling on top of the embarrassment, she needs a moment to gather her wits enough to form some form of answer but there's no time. Someone – the manager of the place she supposes – rushes up behind her and he doesn't bother hiding the irritation in his voice which only makes Padme wish the ground would just swallow her whole right now.

"She just ruined that vase!"

"It was probably the food here that made her sick in the first place!" Anakin is quick to leap to her defence and she's beyond grateful for it. She's really in no condition to speak up for herself right now… If anything she's fighting down the rising urge to throw up all over again. But it _wasn't_ the food that did this, she knows that. It was the baby. She can't let him blame the restaurant for this, that kind of accusation is dangerous for food establishments.

"Ani," she swallows the disgusting bile lingering in her mouth – spitting it into the vase would just add insult to injury she thinks – and reaches up to wipe away the wetness beneath her eyes throwing up has caused, "it – it wasn't the food." When she envisioned telling him about the baby, she'd imagined something a little more romantic and sweet than holding a vase full of vomit surrounded by angry staff but there's no going back now. Curiosity blooms in his eyes and despite the impatiently frustrated sigh from the manager behind her, Padme carefully lowers the pretty porcelain to the floor and shakily reaches up to rest her hands on his chest… How does she word this? Simply? Straight to the point? Or dance around it with pretty speech that'll make her point clear before the actual words leave her mouth?

Honestly… She'll tell him honestly.

"Something – something's happened…" Her eyes meet his nervously and the confusion there is clear, but it's what'll be in there next that worries her. Happiness, anger, shock…Regret… It could be any of those. Or all of them. "Ani… I'm pregnant."


	4. Chapter 4

" _Alright, and what's_ _ **that**_ _one called?" She giggled and heard his own chuckle follow, but didn't bother to look at him. The blanket of stars above them was far more captivating, especially as her silly boyfriend weaved together the most ridiculous stories of their origins. And, despite knowing the real stories of the_ _constellations, Padme was near beside herself with amusement._

" _Him? Oh, that's Titus." Anakin's free hand pointed upwards, toward the random cluster of star's she'd selected. "It's a tragic story, you'll probably cry." This time, Padme_ _ **did**_ _turn to meet his smug face with narrowed eyes. She didn't cry at every sad story she heard… Only some of them. The_ _ **real**_ _ones. Not 'epic' tales he made up on the spot._

" _I would_ _ **not**_ _cry…"_

 _He smiled at her and reached down to tug her upwards on the blanket, so they lay face to face. "I_ _ **just**_ _sat through 'Titanic' with you for, like, the thousandth time. I think I know what makes you cry by now." An arm came tightly around her waist and held her flush against him, but she had no complaints._

 _He was such an exaggerator._ _ **She**_ _hadn't even seen the movie that many times, never mind made him watch it! Honestly… He could be such a drama Queen sometimes. "You have watched it_ _ **ten**_ _times at the most."_

 _She never got an answer; Anakin's mouth surged forward and claimed her own in a sudden, furious kiss. And Padme let him. She let him nip at her lip before sliding his hungry tongue into her mouth… This was what she'd expected of tonight when he asked her to come out here with him. Sneaking out in the middle of the night together was no new thing, they'd been doing since they were children, though back then their exploits usually only took them as far as the local playpark around the block. These days, Anakin liked to drive them to the nearby beach, where they'd sit on the hood of his car for_ _ **hours**_ _sometimes, just talking and listening to the sound of the ocean. There was something about getting out of the house in the middle of the night for food or ice-cream, or just to be together. She couldn't imagine not doing this together every other day._

 _They'd come to the meadow tonight,_ _ **their**_ _meadow. Where he'd kissed her for the first time, while their heads spun from their first tastes of her parent's alcohol. Anakin told her he loved her here… She liked being here even more after that. The place was special now, and always would be._

 _So, when he brought her here tonight, this was what Padme expected. Not the passion, but the_ _ **desperation**_ **.** _Everything they were avoiding was getting closer by the day; the time for beginning college applications was almost here and… With that, brought questions about the future. Questions neither could answer right now._

 _When they pulled back to breathe, Padme gently stroked his cheek. He was afraid of what was going to happen, so was she… But there was always hope they could figure something out, wasn't there? It was_ _ **them**_ **;** _they always managed to sort things out, one way or another. Couples applied to colleges together all the time, maybe they could be one of them? They didn't have to lose hope quite yet, there was still time. "Ani…" She whispered, and the sound felt far louder than it should in the silence of the night._

" _I don't want to talk about it, not yet." His constant response, to just put it off, lock it away and pretend none of it was happening. That was all well and good a few months ago, but they were running out of time. "Please," he added, "just – just promise me nothing's gonna happen. That everything's going to be okay."_

" _Ani…" she whispered again._

" _ **Please,**_ _Padme… I need to hear you say it. Just tell me you won't leave. That this – life – isn't gonna get in the way." Everything he asked her to say was a lie, she knew it and suspected that, deep down, he probably did too. Maybe doing this, pretending the real world wasn't coming for them would, in the end, do more harm than good. But she could, at least, give him this. Just one more night of pretending, of telling him what neither of them believed. And he could play along until she almost_ _ **did**_ _believe. The truth would be waiting for them come morning, but until then, they still had tonight._

" _Everything will work out." She told him as confidently as possible, "I'm not going anywhere without you, ever." Her hand slipped back to gently caress the nape of his neck fondly. "Okay?"_

 _With a long sigh, Anakin hauled her tighter into his embrace, and the thumps of his heartbeat against her ear were as comforting as they were frightening. Sooner than later, she might not have the chance to do this, to lie with him and feel his arms around her. But she didn't say that. Her eyelids clamped shut tightly to stop the tears that sprung to her eyes from spilling over. Anakin couldn't see them, not tonight, that would ruin their game._

" _Yeah," he promised unconvincingly, "we'll be fine."_

* * *

"P-pregnant?" Anakin stutters, wide-eyed, jaw slightly slack… This really isn't the way she wanted to break the news. She imagined something more… Private. In all the scenarios Padme envisioned, planned out, _rehearsed_ in her mind on the way here, vomiting her lunch up, into a vase and revealing something so important in front of shocked employees and their outraged manager was certainly not something she imagined… The vase _is_ very pretty… She just hopes it wasn't too expensive. "You're _pregnant_ …" He repeats, utterly dazed.

At first, she's far too aware of their stunned and nosy audience to answer. This conversation of _all_ conversations deserves to happen in private. There are complete strangers watching for goodness sake! But, the cat is out of the bag and watched or not, they have to talk about it. This is _just_ her luck.

"Yes… I – I…" She stutters, reaching up to slide her touch from his shoulders through his coat to his chest. What's happening to her? She's a well-versed politician, and mature, educated woman, she shouldn't be stuttering like a nervous school girl. Then again, Padme never _was_ the nervous school girl. But she can't help slipping into that role now… Never in her entire life has she been _this_ nervous before; not once, even while taking her finals in college or making her first speech at work. Those are different, she supposes. Those were education and career driven moments, this is – well, this is an entirely different entity, isn't it? This is telling the man she's loved since childhood that they're having a _baby_. A month into being back together. Terrifying.

"I'm pregnant." She manages, and the words taste foreign in her mouth even after repeating them to herself what must be over a million times by now. There's nothing like this, at least, from what she has experienced in life. What possibly compares to telling someone you're becoming a family, bonded forever through a shared child… Nothing.

Ten years ago, if she'd been privy to this moment, Padme would have smiled and shrugged, seeing it as an inevitably rather than a remote possibility. But, after they separated, it seemed so impossible, like what she'd imagined as her future for so long was suddenly just her imagination. She'd assumed, there'd be someone else who'd come along and sweep her off her feet, and she'd love them enough to do this, to experience _this_ with them but… It's Anakin. It's _always_ been Anakin.

This _has not_ come at the best time, for either of them, and they really aren't ready for this kind of shift in their lives, but if Padme is having a baby… She's completely overjoyed to know her baby is Anakin's.

By some mercy, whatever haze of shock and confusion that her announcement brought to his mind, clears and shock fades into the brightest shine of joy she has ever seen in his eyes. Not happiness, or delight, but _joy_ and elation. Laughter bursts out of his lips as he bends to kiss her, though she's slightly more hesitant, no one likes puke breath after all, but Anakin doesn't seem to care. He keeps it chaste, closed mouth but Padme _feels_ the passion behind it. However, she is not given long to bask in the moment before being swung around so suddenly that all there is to do is cling onto her excited boyfriend for dear life.

 _He's happy._

While already knowing this, _understanding_ it is very different and the realisation of how elated this news has made him kills whatever happiness she could find at the moment. Padme's first instinct upon finding out about the baby was something close to dread. She was frightened – and still is. This baby is going to change their lives, in more ways than she could possibly hope to list and she's _terrified._ Why isn't he scared? Where is Anakin's dread? She supposes she'd just hoped that… That he'd validate her concerns by having them too.

"You're really _happy_ about this?" Even to her own ears, Padme sounds incredulous and she cringes slightly. It wasn't supposed to come out _quite_ that bluntly, but the question is genuine… She knows how much he wants a family, how his mother's death has left a void he's always craved to fill but to accept this so easily, to not show even a flicker of fear is… It's _crazy!_

"Of course, I'm happy," he grins down at her, and Padme swears she's never seen him smile so widely before. "This is the happiest moment of my life."

He thinks he's reassuring her, she realises with a shiver. Well, he has done far from that, his sweet words only make her confusion stronger and the embers of frustration in the pit of her stomach spark to life. _Why_ is it always her who worries? Can't he ever think and feel like a normal person and be afraid of _any_ kind of commitment for just a moment? Most men would have collapsed in his position, or hightailed it out of here. Not swung her around and kissed her! She _needs_ him to worry, to tell her things are gonna be difficult, because that's how she _feels._ It's not fair that she has to be the only one to think like this!

Slowly, Anakin's smile dies and his face shifts into a bewildered frown and Padme uses the moment to glance over her shoulder. The waiters and manager have gone, leaving them to it, perhaps sensing the shift in the air now that whatever happiness is rapidly being replaced with a thick tension. _At least now they're alone…_

"Wait, you're not happy?" He murmurs quietly, but she knows him well enough not to mistake quiet for calm. With Anakin, sometimes it can be _quite_ the opposite.

She sighs, _exhausted_ suddenly, and wants nothing more than to get back to her apartment, kick off her heels and collapse onto the couch. "It's _not_ that, I just-"

"You didn't answer the question."

" _Anakin,_ don't twist what I'm saying! I only meant that…" That this is the most terrifying moment of her life, that she didn't plan for this, didn't expect it and she isn't used to that. That she needs some time to adjust, to wrap her head around the fact that this is happening. "Maybe this isn't the _right time_."

One of his hands rises to stroke through her hair softly and it's difficult not to relax against the touch. "There's _never_ a right time for this, Padme. If we waited for the perfect time for both of us, it would never happen." That's not true… The perfect time would be when they aren't enduring a long distance relationship, after marriage maybe… When they _lived_ together at the very least! All of those are preferable to their current circumstances! Why can't he see that too?

"We're not ready for a _baby_ right now, Anakin. Doesn't that scare you?"

"Ready or not, this baby is a _blessing._ Nothing else matters but that." She almost groans because everything he's saying is _perfect_ , it's what most women dream of hearing when they tell their partners about a baby on the way, but it doesn't feel _real_. And it doesn't match with her own feelings. Of all things, they should be agreeing on _this_!

"No, it's _not_!" She snaps and the surprise on his face _hurts._ But every part of her is wound so tightly with frustration that she simply _cannot_ go another moment without voicing exactly how she feels about this. "This is – it's an accident! The result of us doing something stupid at the reunion! We're not _ready_ for a baby, Anakin. It could – I don't _want_ to give up my job and… And we don't even _live_ together! I – I just feel like this could be a massive mistake!"

When the words are out of her mouth, a cold stab of horror sinks into her as suddenly as the startled gasp that flees into the air between them. _No_! No, she didn't mean that – not in that way. It wasn't supposed to… Anakin flinches at the stinging words and her eyes sting suddenly. The _hurt_ he feels is clear as day upon his face, he doesn't attempt to hide or disguise it. Not even with anger or shock. She hurt him. He was so happy and now… She's ruined it.

"Anakin," she tries, but nothing comes to mind. What _can_ she say? Her thoughts are too busy to sort through, to make any kind of sense for her to understand… Everything is a jumbled, frantic mess and she just _can't_ get it out. "I… I… That's _not_ -"

He doesn't listen, or give her time to explain herself and what she _truly_ means, because, with a shaky breath, he turns on his heel and storms out of the restaurant without so much as a single glance backwards.

What has she done?


	5. Chapter 5

The unmistakable sound of a key sliding into the lock of her apartment door somehow overtakes the quiet sniffling of Padme's crying as she curled up against the arm of her sofa. She'd been waiting for Anakin for _hours_ now, driving herself absolutely crazy, repeating everything that happened earlier over and over again. What she said was wrong, and she _knows_ that, but they need to talk about it. If he just sits down and _listens_ to her, then she could make him understand her feelings, what she really meant, not what came out. What she said was… It wasn't right, or how she feels.

None of this is how it should be, how she wants it to be, but it is what it is. She – _they_ – are having a baby. Together. That could never be a mistake, _never_. She should never have said it was! But she did, and now Anakin was out there somewhere – maybe even halfway home by now – believing she could ever think their baby was anything other than _good_. A blessing, just like he said. The very idea that he could ever think she saw their baby as something bad… It broke her heart.

And it was all her fault.

But the door quietly opening and shutting again a moment later drew her from the uncomfortable position in the seat, practically flying through her apartment in her haste to get to Anakin. _He's here!_ That had to mean something, right? He'd come back, even though he didn't have to, he _chose_ to come back here, to her… Maybe that means she has a chance?

"You're back…" She almost whimpers as Anakin hesitates by the door, purposely avoiding her gaze.

His Adam's apple bobs in his throat as he swallows thickly, a telltale sign of nervousness in Anakin, before finally lifting his eyes to meet hers. The hurt, the pain she caused him still dulled the striking blue if his irises and she can't stand to look at him suddenly. _She did that._ What was supposed to be a happy moment for him was destroyed by her inability to truly express her emotions and she feels awful. "Yeah," his voice cracks pitifully, "I figured we should…" He trails off, drawing her eyes back from her feet and she sheer helplessness in his face makes her want to cry all over again. How is she supposed to fix this?

"Anakin, I –"

"No, Padme, just listen to me." His words certainly shut her up. He has something to say, and she _more_ than owes him an opportunity to speak his mind after this afternoon. "I – I _need_ you to be honest with me…" As she nods, a breathy exhale, a shudder really, escapes his mouth. Whatever this is, Padme is beginning to think he's afraid of her answer. And that doesn't make her feel any better. "Are you… I _know_ you don't think this is the right time, so I… Are you thinking about _not_ keepingit?"

The words take a moment to truly sink into Padme's overworked mind, she understands, but she just _cannot_ comprehend. He's worried she's going to – to _not_ have their baby, to… She can't lie and say the thought did not spring to her mind in the midst of one panicked moment, but it just isn't an option, not for her. She could _never_! While she wholeheartedly supports and believes in women having the choice – the _right_ – to make such decisions, even vigorously campaigning for more funding for family planning centres at work, Padme just couldn't go through with not having this baby.

" _No!"_ She cries, crossing the distance between them without thinking and grabs at the collar of his coat tightly. "Anakin, no! I – I would _never!_ " Pure, unhidden relief visibly fills his face and the sight hurts as much as it helps. Is this what he's been thinking about while out there? Was he _preparing_ himself to let go if she'd made that decision? _Oh, Anakin…_ "I'm sorry if that's the impression I gave you, I'm so sorry!"

And then his lips are on hers and Padme takes the bruising kiss happily, slipping her hands up, to cup his cheeks. He _needs_ this, and so does she… He's here, and things aren't alright, but he's _here_ … That's all she needs right now. The moment she feels his arms come tightly around her body; she sighs into his mouth and wraps her own arms around his neck. While not naive enough to believe their issues are anywhere close to being resolved, for one blessed moment, everything feels okay.

" _Thank you…"_ Anakin whispers against her lips, "thank you." And Padme rests her forehead against his collarbone for a moment, sighing. There is so much they have to talk about, the whole issue feels so mammoth and beyond them and it's frightening. Somehow she has to get her feelings across, this time, to make him _understand_ that while she is having this baby, she doesn't like _how_ they're having it. She's just… She's _afraid._ These things don't come as easily to her as they do for Anakin; kids have never been her strong point meanwhile he's always had a natural rapport with them. He's _always_ wanted kids, even as teenagers he'd openly talked about it, about wanting them as soon as they were able to take care of them. But while Padme always wanted kids, they were always a plan for _someday_ , and _later in life._

But, someday has come and it's long past time she faced up to it.

"Come inside." She whispers into his coat. They have a lot to talk about and the doorway doesn't feel very appropriate.

* * *

Awkward. That's how she feels right now, uncomfortably, mind-numbingly _awkward._

Seated on her couch by the pretty fireplace her father helped install, Padme can't bring herself to meet her boyfriend's eye… They came in here to talk, to discuss what's going to happen, but it seems neither knows exactly what to say now they're here. The few snuck glances at Anakin she was brave enough to steal told her he feels much the same. His eyes have been locked firmly on the floor for the past six minutes. She counted. Suddenly, she wishes they hadn't sit down quite so close to one another earlier.

Shifting stiffly and facing her body toward Anakin's, Padme slowly lifts her gaze once more, just in time to catch him stealing a glance of his own. The mutual eye contact does nothing to soothe the unpleasant tension between them, and like teenagers, they both sharply look away again. Maybe he's just waiting for her to speak? Anakin made himself _quite clear_ earlier, he's happy about this… He may feel there is little more to say on his part. Understandable, but that doesn't make things any easier for her.

There is so much she has to say, but it feels like everything she has to tell him is trapped in her mind, locked beneath the thick layer of pressure she didn't expect to settle in on them. She'd almost rather be back in the restaurant, throwing up into the vase. _Almost_.

They haven't been this uncomfortable around each other since they were kids! Years ago, on their first date… Anakin could barely look her in the eye without blushing, and Padme wasn't much better. Such a sweet memory, dinner and a movie… Some cheesy romantic comedy if she remembers correctly, because he thought she'd like that. She had to make the first move then, reaching out to hold his hand as the movie played… She can still remember how he almost choked on his coke, even if he denies it to this day.

They've been through so much together and apart. This shouldn't be so difficult, not for them. Being open and honest with each other has always been important in their relationship, but that had always been the difficult part, _talking_ to each other. They've never been very good at communicating.

She _has_ to do this, for both their sakes. Just like their first date, Padme has to be the one to go first, to air out everything and let Anakin follow… It's her fault they're in this situation in the first place, after all. The only problem is, after this afternoon, she has no idea where to start. Should she apologise? Or just speak about the baby and her concerns?

Blinking, her gaze once more works its way back to Anakin's face just as he too seems to find the courage to look at her again and it's slightly relieving. She'd really rather not say everything on her mind to the side of his face. Once she gets everything out, they can talk about it, like adults. They'll figure something out, some way to make all of this _work._ She has faith in that.

"Anakin, -"

"You know, when I was nine years old," he interrupts her, shuffling closer as he speaks, "I told my mom that I was gonna marry you some day." The admission comes with a bitter smile and narrowed eyes. She knows how difficult it is for him to speak about his mother so reaches for his hand and laces their fingers together. "And, you know what she said? ' _I believe you'_. So I kept on thinking it, the whole time we grew up, it felt inevitable, like it was – _we_ were meant to be. And then we were… For so long everything was how it was supposed to be, how I always wanted it to be. I thought it would be simple, that we were together and would be forever… I… Do you remember that night, in the meadow in senior year?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"You told me everything was going to be alright, that you weren't leaving and I believed you. Or at least, I wanted to. So, the next day I went out and…" He trails off, shaking his head, but Padme doesn't interrupt. She knows him, it wouldn't be appreciated. "I – I bought you a ring."

There's no stifling her gasp, or hiding the way her body reels. For a moment the room spins around her, and all she can do is gape at him… Anakin bought her a _ring_? But – but you only buy a ring when you want to… No. _No…_ There's just no way _that's_ what he wanted to do… Right? They were only eighteen! That's _far_ too young to – Anakin would have known that. It must have been one of those engaged to be engaged rings, a promise ring of sorts… But one look at the sad smile Anakin graces her with destroys any desperate attempt to run from the truth.

He was going to propose…

"What?" She breathes, "Anakin… I – What changed your mind?" He never proposed, something must have happened and she can't recall them having any particularly bad arguments around that time, they were too busy enjoying every moment they possibly could together. Maybe he just realised it wasn't a good idea… Because, if he'd proposed then, on the cusp of them parting for separate colleges, Padme knows she would have to say no, and it would have broken both their hearts.

"Well, I had the box in my pocket, and you, uh, you broke up with me."

"Oh, Anakin…" Without hesitating, she leans forward to pull him toward her for a tight embrace… He was planning to propose to her, _that day_? The most heartbreaking day of her life could have been a thousand times worse if she hadn't been the first to speak. What can she say, now that she knows? Apologising doesn't feel right, because there was no wrongdoing on either part, breaking up was for the best… It would have happened at some point if it hadn't happened then. She'd simply delayed their inescapable fate.

When they pull apart, he can barely meet her eye and Padme can't find anything to say to make him feel any better about this… What was a horrible memory for her must be so much worse for him. He'd brought a _ring_ to ask her to be with him for the rest of their lives but was met with a break up instead. It's awful.

"It was a long time ago." He sighs quietly, and she shakes her head.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, Ani."

"It used to," he admits with a nod, barely above a whisper as their eyes meet again, "but not anymore. Not since we got back together, because it felt right again like I was given a second chance. I won't lose you again, Padme. _I won't_." Such promises seem so romantic in movies and novels but hearing them come from Anakin now sends a strange shiver racing along Padme's spine… He's always been intense, dramatic even, but sometimes it's overwhelming, almost frightening. He _means_ what he says, especially about her and their relationship… But she doesn't _need_ promises like that, she wants to hear him say he'll stay, that he _wants_ to spend his life with her… Not declare such things with no room for argument. The way he says these things can sound something like a _threat_ sometimes. It's just his phrasing, his passion getting the better of him; she _knows_ that, it's just… Sometimes it can be unsettling, like her choice in the matter is gone, that it's been decided already and she was too late to place a vote.

It's silly… Isn't it?

"Why are you telling me all of this?" She asks with a breathy laugh, to change the subject or lighten the tense mood just a little. The heavy weight of everything they're avoiding saying is pressing down harder than before, like a tight grip upon her throat. It's horrible, inescapable, and completely necessary. They're supposed to be discussing the future right now, not the past… It's not that she isn't interested in hearing about this, but now? They _need_ to know what they're doing, to plan and make decisions. The almost proposal really isn't important by comparison.

"Because," he starts, that same intensity burning in the electrifying blue hue of his eyes, "I need you to know, I'm committed to you – always have been. And I _want_ to do this, to – God, this isn't making _any_ sense." One hand runs through his hair, musing the wavy curls in frustration, a habit of his that he'd always had, "I love you. And I'm gonna love our baby, _so much_ Padme… Whatever happens next, what we decide to do, won't change that."

"But –"

"No, no buts… Just tell me, yes or no, is that how you feel too?"

What is she supposed to say to that? What _can_ she say? Does she love Anakin? _Yes_! And the baby? Of course, or at least, she will… When there's been a little time to adjust, to let the reality _really_ sink into her head and make full sense. She's still in shock, it wasn't part of her plan and after a lifetime of making lists and elaborate future planning binders, she just needs time to get her mind around the surprise. That's not bad, is it? It doesn't make her a terrible person… Right? "Yes, yes, of course! But, Anakin, feelings and real life are two different issues! This baby is going to change our lives."

"I – I know." He lifts a hand to quieten her as if tired of the subject already. She understands wanting to just be happy about this and not think about _reality_ for a while, but they have to! When else will there be a chance, a real opportunity to sit down and discuss this together? Sooner than later, Anakin will leave again and go back home, far away from her… Then their next visit… She has no idea!

"Do you?" Reaching for his hand, Padme laces their fingers together and squeezes. Anakin can be more than a little _immature_ sometimes; he has a one track mind… She doesn't doubt he's thinking of their beautiful little baby, of holding him or her and seeing them smile or laugh in his arms… It's a beautiful picture, one she'd _love_ to focus on, but one of them has to be pragmatic here. "You're not acting like it… Anakin, we don't even _live_ together, or in the same state! How are we supposed to raise a baby like that?"

A long, weary sigh flees his mouth because he doesn't have an answer. He'd like too, but nothing easy comes to mind. "I don't know… One of us has to move, I suppose." One of them, yes… They _have_ to live together, or nearby to each other. Living together is a big step, one that maybe they aren't ready for – ten years apart pales in comparison to one month back together – and they've barely spoken about it. When they have, it was always with the idea that Anakin would be the one to move, to come here, to her. Now it was _one of them_? When did that happen?

" _One of us_?" Padme repeats incredulously, barely able to form the words. Moving, quite simply, is _not_ an option for her and he knows that! What kind of a politician can she be, if she doesn't even live in Washington? She has ambitions, _plans_! To rise up and eventually become a Senator, to make real changes in this country… Doing that from anywhere else is practically impossible.

"Well, obviously…" Anakin shrugs obliviously, "my place is smaller, but there's a spare room or two if we redo the workshop… That could work. Or, we could get a house somewhere in the middle? There'd be _hell_ of a commute for both of us, I suppose, but – "

"I'm _not_ moving. Not out of state at least. I can't." Her interruption surprises him, and it's not surprising. Speaking over someone mid-sentence is rude, and normally Padme would _never_ do it, but she can't listen to him prattle on about something that's _never_ going to happen. Moving out of Washington could, quite literally, kill her career. She _has_ to be here. Didn't he understand that?

"What? Why not…?"

"This is where my job is – where my _life_ is. You can't just expect me to up and leave." Their hands untangle as Anakin tears his away, turning to rest the sharp points of his elbows on his knees and bury his face in his hands for a long moment. Was it really too much to ask for _this_ of all things to be easy for them?

"And what about me?" His words are muffled against his palms before he drops them away to glare accusingly at her as if she's done something _wrong_. "What about _my_ career? Hm?" But – but he _said_ he'd move, here, for her to be _with_ her when they were ready. That he'd sell the business or open a new branch to be here. He can't just take that back, it's what he said.

"You already said you would… Unless you changed your mind?"

"No, but I… It isn't exactly _easy._ I'd be leaving behind _everything_ , my friends – people who are like family to me, my job, everything I've _worked_ for." Yes, he would be leaving a lot behind, but so would she if he asked her to move, and… And there's always a need for mechanics, he could _easily_ find another job, or buy another mechanics place, but her work isn't that flexible! If she left, she'd be useless to everyone – especially the people she represents.

"I understand that, Ani, I do… It's just that –"

"Your work is more important than mine, I get it." He huffs and rises from the sofa, walking toward the kitchen area. What? She has _never_ said that, not once! Padme isn't some _snobby_ highbrow who looks down at people, surely he knows her better than that. From the kitchen, Anakin opens the fridge and pulls out one of her water bottles, keeping his back to her the whole time. Does he really believe she thinks like that? Yes, perhaps what she does _is_ more important, but it's not something she'd ever be willing to throw in his face – in _anyone's_ face.

"Is that really what you think? That I look _down_ at what you do?" Nothing could be further from the truth… She's _so proud_ of him! Of everything he's accomplished – it's almost embarrassing how she rattles on and on to Sola and her mom about everything he's done, but she doesn't care because she's so happy for him. Getting up, Padme steps into the kitchen after him and carefully lays a palm on his back. "Because I don't. You've worked hard and come so far, and I'm proud of you."

"I know…" He sighs and turns back around, facing her again with tired eyes. "I know that, I do… I'm sorry." Reaching up, standing on the tips of her toes, Padme brushes a far gentler kiss to their last against his lips and, forgetting about the plastic bottle completely, Anakin's arms come around her waist tightly, pulling her flush against him. "We don't have to make all the decisions right now, y'know." He whispers against her lips, and her head jerks back to frown up at him. _What_? Of course, they have to make decisions! Nine months really isn't a very long time and she's pretty sure they're a month into this already. Time is ticking!

" _Anakin…_ "

"No, hear me out." Holding back a sigh, Padme grits her teeth. _Just listen to him_ … What's the worst that can happen from that? A single stiff nod is all Anakin needs, and he continues with what she supposes is meant to be a comforting smile. "We have time. Maybe not as much as we'd like, but there's time. I'll sell the company, but I'll need a few months, to get it all done… And what happens after that, we don't have to know yet. We'll figure it out as we go along."

Against his chest, her fingers twitch uncomfortably. Figure it out as they go along? Is he _trying_ to give her a heart attack? She _needs_ to know what's going to happen, where they're going to live once this baby comes. He's crazy. He _must_ be crazy if he ever thinks this is going to work… But, he's willing to sell his business away, for her, forthis baby… Suddenly, something about that doesn't _feel_ right. She thought it would, that this is the _right_ choice – the _only_ choice, but hearing him say it now…

"No." She declares with a shake of her head. "No, you can't sell it."

" _What_?" Anakin exhales, tongue flicking out to wet his lips as he glances away and she can almost _feel_ the impatience rising within him. "I thought we decided that was for the best?" No, _she_ decided. And it isn't fair, or right to ask that of him. She can see that now.

"I don't think it's for the best, not anymore. You _have_ to keep it, because it's _yours_ and this baby should get to see what you created." Her hands lift to stroke his hair by either side of his face as a smile somehow manages to take hold of her lips for the first time in _hours_. "Because they're going to be as proud of you as I am."

"Padme –" He's tempted, it's thick in his voice and the sound only inspires her smile to grow.

"I know, it's not going to be easy, for either of us. But this is the right choice, Anakin, I know it is. You'd be _miserable_ if you sold the company and I was selfish to demand that of you." There has to be another way, one where neither has to sacrifice what they love to be together. There's always another way, _always._ And she's determined to find it, whatever that may take.

"I don't _care_ about the company, Padme; I care about you and this baby – that's all I want."

"I know." Her hands slip down, lower, to his chest and rest there. Beneath her palm, she feels his heart race and has to bite down another smile… He's always so sweet when he's nervous. "And I _love_ you for it. I love you so much that, just for a while, I can share you."

"Wait," he blinks in confusion, "you _want_ me to go back? What're we going to do, have a long distance pregnancy?" The way he says it makes it sound like something terrible, something no one in the world has ever done before… Yes, maybe it's not the _ideal_ circumstances, but's it's only for a little while, not the entire pregnancy.

"I think you should go home and start making arrangements."

"Arrangements for what?"

"To open up here!" She laughs. "Open a new branch here, or an entirely new store – whatever you want. I'll invest so that it's _ours,_ something we created together and can pass onto the baby one day." It's going to take work, hard work, but she's ready for the long haul if he is… Even if it means sacrificing some time together, that's worth it in the end if this can work out. And when they have, _that's_ when things can settle down, when they can find somewhere to live that works for them both.

The frown that comes across his face tells her he's thinking about it, Anakin _always_ frowns when he's thinking hard about something… If she looks into his eyes, she can practically _see_ the cogs turning in his mind, working it all out. "You – you really want that? To do that, with _me_?"

"Of course! Do you? Is this something you'd want?"

Her answer comes, quickly, and almost urgently, in the form of an excited kiss.

 _ **A/N: Just in case you didn't take it away from these last few chapters, Anakin and Padme are terrible at communicating. It's the part of their relationship that they both struggle with and they struggle in no small part. Yes, there are still a few issues they have, but it's just not realistic to work everything out in the space of one conversation. These things take time, and the right circumstances to be talked about and we'll see just that happening as Padme's pregnancy progresses.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Padme groans tiredly as the heat of morning sun filters its way through the bedroom curtains to warm her face, shining a light no amount of trying can help her ignore. She's not ready to wake up just yet, not nearly… Waking up means what she's been dreading for days has finally arrived; it means the end of her and Anakin's time together. It means that Anakin will be catching his plane in a few hours' time to go back home, far away from her and the baby and this bed… As soon as she opens her eyes, there'll be no more pretending that they have more time. She _has_ to accept the reality that, by this time tomorrow; she'll be waking up alone again.

And what's worse than all that, she _has_ to work today. There's just _no_ getting out of it; she has far too much to do, petitions to bring forward, speeches to write, bills to argue for and a crucial meeting with Bail very early on… One more day off, no matter how little time she has to spend with Anakin, is just _unthinkable_. But the idea of leaving the warmth of her bed to get ready and head out for the day truly is, the _least_ appealing thing in the entire world…

Is it really too much to ask to just lay here, in peace, snuggled deep in the blankets ignoring the rest of the world? Maybe she can even convince Anakin to join her… All day, all night… _Forever_ … They can just hide away, warm and close where nothing else can reach them, no arguments, no distance or jobs to tear them apart… It would be so… _Wonderful_. But the idea is just so impossible that her eyes blink themselves open stubbornly with her jaw stretching into a great yawn smothered into the pillow. Anakin _has_ to go home, and Padme _has_ to go to work… He has two branches of ' _Skywalker's'_ to run, never mind beginning to plan to open another here, and just the _idea_ of how much work is probably piled up on her desk has her groaning miserably.

"Finally awake, huh?" Anakin's still rough, morning voice pulls her from her thoughts and she twists around to look over at him with an effortless smile. She's always loved to see him first thing in the morning, even from the beginning, when their less than platonic sleepovers were still innocent. Just as usual, his hair is mussed from sleep and a lingering tiredness has left his eyes slightly puffy, which really isn't a surprise, considering that the better part of the night _had_ been spent in the throes of passion instead of sleeping. " _About time_ …" He groans and bends to take her lips with his own in a crushing, feverish kiss.

"Mhm…" She rolls over when they part, to tuck her head beneath Anakin's chin and revel in the warmth of his body as his arms come tight around her body, holding her to him. "I wish I wasn't up yet… I don't want you to go…"

She feels more than hears his chuckle, with the rumble of his chest against her head. "Neither do I… Let's just run away together, somewhere far – we'll make our own country where you're President and we never have to be apart again."

There's no stopping Padme's laugh at the incredulity of his suggestion. With anyone else, such a thing could be laughed off as entirely unserious, but this is _her_ boyfriend, not someone else's. No matter how ridiculous, if it means they can be together, she's sure Anakin means it on some level. This isn't even the _first_ time he has proposed running away together! Still, feeling playful herself, she indulges him. "Just the one country?"

"An _empire_ then… We'll make it how we want it to be." His large, calloused palm slowly makes its way along Padme's body until it reaches her smooth stomach, gently caressing her through her nightgown. "The baby can be our heir." A hint of _pride_ crackles in his voice, prompting Padme to lifts her head to look him in the eye. She could almost believe he's taunting her… But she knows him better than that. Anakin just simply isn't politically minded, he doesn't _care_ who runs what so long as there is relative peace. She only wishes that she could be _surprised_ that his first instinct is a _dictatorship_ of all things.

Exasperated, Padme laughs trailing a hand along his chest, "Uh-uh! We will rule a _democratic_ empire. If someone wishes to lead, then people have to _vote_ them into office."

" _Really?"_ Anakin sighs, "Even in the fantasy?"

"Of course! I won't be an unelected leader…"

"Padme, your voting public amounts to you and me!" He snorts, rolling his eyes and her own narrow tightly in response.

"Then you had better vote for me!"

He abandons the subject with an overdramatic sigh and Padme lets her head come down to rest on his chest again. They don't have much time this morning. She really doesn't want to look at the clock on her bedside table to see just how little there really is. It's so much nicer to just snuggle into Anakin and let her eyes close again… It would be so, _so_ , easy to fall back asleep… And she's terribly tempted. But she _can't._ "Y'know," he murmurs quietly into Padme's hair, "I _could_ just stay for another few days…"

The offer somehow manages to make her smile again because his intent is so _painfully_ obvious, it's adorable. He's asking her to ask him to stay. She knows he has plans to see to once back home, people to see and his business to run, and yet with just a few words from her, he'd be ready to abandon _everything_. Anakin always bent to her every whim and desire, desperate to please her in every way. It's always been this way since they were children, when he'd let her pick all their games or the movies they watched. Anyone else would think she's the _luckiest_ woman in the world at having such a devoted lover by her side.

But Padme can see beyond the romantic aspects of it and to the truth. She's _not_ lucky. While, of course, Anakin's devotion makes her feel extremely beloved which she's sure _is_ the intention, it also adds a certain… _pressure_ to their relationship. More hot water to the ever boiling pot that is their life together. His determination to make her happy in all ways, no matter what means that Padme _has_ to be the thinker. It has to be her who holds firm in the face of temptation just like now, because if she doesn't, Anakin's passion would sweep them both away and their lives _would_ suffer for it. He just doesn't see it the same way. Usually, this can be somewhat irking, if not sweet. Everyone has their roles within their relationships, and Padme resigned herself to being the serious one with Anakin years ago. But now, they're going to have a _baby_. They're going to be _parents._ She doesn't want to _always_ be the bad guy, the nagging mom who ruins the fun by constantly saying no… That's not who she is, and it frightens her to think that maybe, just maybe… That's who Anakin will force her to become.

It's not his fault, not really. She _knows_ that if she voiced these concerns, he'd try to hold back that side of himself, for her sake. That he would reassure her about the baby and their impending parenthood until he's breathless, but the words catch in her throat and die there. She should tell him. It's the honest thing to do, the healthy, normal thing to do. _But she just can't do it._

So she doesn't.

To drown out her fears, Padme leans up again to kiss him, just a small brush of their lips, but Anakin has other ideas. He sighs into the kiss and pulls her upwards on his body and somehow they're even _closer._ She knows what he's doing. She knows because she's doing it too. They're hiding… Hesitating, ignoring for a final few moments that she isn't going to ask him to stay, which means he has to go. They've always been good at playing pretend.

Anakin's tongue slides into her mouth and Padme opens for him willingly, savouring the taste of him on her tongue… Even if they both have morning breath. She doesn't care. This time is too precious to give a damn about something so insignificant. With a surprising skill, Anakin manages to roll their bodies, so quickly that Padme finds herself on her back before her surprised gasp can leave her mouth. This is nice… This is exactly what she needs before he leaves, the heavy weight of him above her… To memorise every inch of him so that when his side of the bed is empty, she can close her eyes and pretend otherwise. With this in mind, Padme pushes back, slipping her tongue into his mouth now, and her fingers climb the hard expanse of his back, higher and higher until they can tangle into his thick, golden tresses. She _loves_ Anakin's hair now… While always extremely attractive as a teenager, the darkened blonde waves that reach his shoulders make him even more beautiful. Before, he was her Ani, her sweet loving, Ani. _Now…_ Now he is still her Ani, but he's more rugged, and just downright _sexy_. As her mom says, he's grown into a _man._

And she wants that man. _Now._

But they just _don't_ have the time. She's usually showered and getting dressed by now… And not to mention the _traffic_ first thing in the morning! She's never going to get a cab at this rate – _oh!_ Anakin's hand has wandered along the length of her body and dipped beneath her short nightie while Padme was lost in her worried thoughts. Now his travelling fingers trail across her outer thigh to just _barely_ brush the very tips of his fingers across her swollen, needy clit and the ghost touch sends her hips canting upwards, seeking _more._

"I really don't have time for this…" She whispers against Anakin's lips and feels them quirk upwards into a lusty smirk as the pad of his thumb presses down against the sensitive bundle of nerves _just_ hardenough to pull a low moan from her throat. This is ridiculous; it shouldn't be this easy to win her over. But it _is._ And it's not just her, Padme can feel the stiff length of him pressing against her thigh… He's every bit as aroused as she is, and the thought only makes her squirm.

"I don't care." He whispers, and then smiles that charming Skywalker grin and takes her lips once more. For a moment, _nothing_ appeals to Padme more than the kiss. Her hips move up again, desperate for more of his touch and Anakin gives it easily, rubbing precise, hard circles against her clit, making her whimper and shudder against him as he mouths wantonly at her throat. _This is a bad, bad idea..._ But he isn't going to stop, and honestly, she doesn't want him to.

Padme whines when he pulls his hand away from her, making Anakin laugh lowly at the frenzied _need_ he's created in her. It's just cruel, to stop now… "Anyone would think you want me…" He challenges and her eyes fall into thin slits once more before understanding dawns upon her. _Two can play at this game._ If Anakin wants to tease her, then Padme would tease him right back. Between them, _he_ is the easy one to win over and she's had _plenty_ of practice.

"I _do._ " She purrs, not missing the way his eyes darken lustfully at the sound. One hand slips along his hip and dives beneath the tight black material of his shorts to fill her palm with the _firm_ cheek of his backside which makes him shudder intensely. _Oh, Ani… That's nothing._ Using this, Padme pushes his body down, against her own and spreads her thighs to fit him against her in just the right way. The hard bulge of his groin presses insistently against her core, and she just can't resist shifting against him softly. "I want you so bad…" Craning her neck, Padme whispers her words and takes his earlobe between her teeth, tugging gently and _swears_ she feels him grow harder against her.

"Padme…" He growls, but when she leans back to look him in the eye, it's with a sweet, _innocent_ smile.

"What?" She moves again, rubbing her moist core against him, rocking her body to drive him to madness. "Don't you know how much I want you? I _always_ want you, Ani… When you're not here, it's so lonely. I lay in bed at night all alone… _Touching myself_ and thinking about you." It's almost impossible to keep herself from smiling, _almost._ Despite the teasing nature of her words, there's an element of truth to them, too. She _does_ miss him when he's not here, physically as well as emotionally. No one can make her body sing like Anakin can, and her own touch is a pale imitation.

" _Fuck…"_ He throbs powerfully against her and begins to move in time with Padme's rocking, sawing his hard erection against her in a way that makes her sigh with need too. "I need you. _So. Fucking. Bad."_ Each word is emphasised with a sharp thrust against her, and Padme momentarily forgets her sensual mission to enjoy the pleasure it brings her. She needs him too, but not yet. _Not yet._

Smirking, she pauses her movements to reach for the thin straps of her nightie and carefully slides then down her arms, keeping her eyes carefully trained on Anakin's' even through his are focused, well, _lower._ The soft, silky material erotically slips down her body, revealing inch by inch of her pale skin to his dark eyes until her breasts are free, revealing her puckered nipples which are peaked and begging for his touch. If there is one thing Anakin Skywalker has always loved about Padme's body, it's her breasts. She'd been so unconfident about them once, comparing her small size to the other girls in school, but Anakin always made her feel like a _Goddess._ As if she were walking perfection… No one else has _ever_ made her feel that way. _No one._

Without hesitating, Anakin takes her breast in his palm, squeezing with a gentle pressure that has her back arching up for more. His thumb strokes a gentle circle around the soft area surrounding her nipple, and her nipples grow harder immediately… The effect this man has upon her body is indescribable, incomparable. "I want you like I did last night." She whispers, fixing the most seductive glance she can muster onto her face. "I want you to make me feel good like that again." Her lips trace his jaw with barely there kisses, "Remember how _good_ it was? How you made me scream your name…? You're the only one who does that, no one else… No one ever felt as good inside me as you, Ani…"

"Mine!" He grunts, pushing her flat against the mattress and Padme's lip sinks down into her teeth. She loves it when Anakin gets all riled up… This is when her gentle lover fades into the masculine beast who takes her hard and fast with a seductive, primal flair until neither can move for hours afterwards… That's what she wants right now. If he's going to leave her, then Padme needs to be loved, _hard._ She needs to savour being with him for as long as possible, no matter how much trouble it might bring her later in work… That doesn't matter. Not to her, not right now. She needs him, rough and slow… To draw it out and make her feel _alive._

Anakin's beautiful azure eyes have darkened to nearly _black_ with want, she notices as he leans back on his knees to shrug the heavy blankets off of their bodies… His dark gaze sweeps over her, eliciting a powerful shudder through Padme's body. He wasn't looking at her like the woman he loved, but as a starving man eyes a feast before devouring it. Suddenly, she feels small and _oh so_ feminine beneath him. Her chest heaves and her skin prickles against the cool morning air, the scrap of fabric lying uselessly bunched around her hips does nothing to warm her… But she doesn't need it to. Not when she has this dashing, _gorgeous_ man above her, ready to ravish her senseless.

" _Yeah_ , Ani." Padme nods, breathless as his thumbs dip into the hem of his shorts, " _Yours."_

For one, brief moment, his entire body stills as a feral, _wild_ gleam takes light in his eyes… His one true desire has come true. Padme's acknowledgement of his deep possessive need to claim her as his for all time. And at any other moment, such need of his would never be fulfilled by her, as it was something she'd always deemed as unhealthy or old fashioned… But it's Padme's arousal that rules her mouth now, not her mind. And in her heightened, sensitive state, it's her turn to want to please him now.

Anakin sheds the only little layer of clothing on his body and falls down heavily onto her, but Padme welcome's his weight above her, arms and legs automatically winding themselves around him tightly. _This is what she needs._ Neither of them reaches out, to the top drawer of her bedside table where the condoms they both know are there, lie unused. It's more than a little late for those, anyway. He kisses her, fast and deep, swiping his tongue into her mouth and Padme stretches her neck up to follow his lips just as both his hands find her breasts, tugging and flicking her nipples with skilled fingers. Sharp bolts of pleasure run the length of her body, morphing into liquid heat which pools between her legs. The urge to clench her thighs to relieve the ache her wonderful, golden boy has awakened within her is powerful, and it leaves her giddy with need.

Cupping the back of his neck in her palm, Padme pulls him down to her lips again, desperately thirsty for him. There is simply _nothing_ like kissing Anakin, whether it's a slow and gentle kiss, harsh and passionate, or a mere affectionate brushing of their lips. None of her past lovers could ever make her feel the way he does, and she wouldn't wish that they had. What she shares with Anakin is special, a mutual love strong enough to survive living on opposite sides of the country. Sometimes, when she feels this way, Padme can even agree with Anakin's declarations that they were born for each other.

Sometimes it feels that way.

" _Uh_!" She cries out and lets her head fall back against the pillows as Anakin surges within her. It's wonderful… It feels _so good…_ _He_ feels so good inside her. Her ankles cross just above his backside as he grunts, slowly withdrawing himself from her body and Padme's teeth sink down into her bottom lip. _Oh…_

"You're… Such a _tease_ …" Anakin pants into her skin before resting his face in the warmth of her neck, and Padme can't not laugh up at the ceiling, grin wide and amused. That is, until he takes her wrists into his hands and pins them suddenly by either side of her head… "You're going to pay, Naberrie." He grins down at her, and Padme's eyebrow rises. They're each as stubborn as each other, neither will willingly lose any challenge if they can help it. And Padme likes to keep him on his toes…

Unable to cease her smiling, despite the nature of the challenge, she rolls her eyes because he will do _nothing_ and they both know it _._ "Well then, Skywalker… I look forward to… _Paying…"_

Unfortunately, there's no more time for laughing as Anakin's hips thunder into her own faster, _harder,_ in lustful retaliation. If this is paying, then she can think of one or two other little misdeeds worth repenting for… So long as Anakin joins her, of course. Her breathless moans and Anakin's heavy breathing are the music of the morning, drowning out any talk or banter that might've been spoken… _All_ she can focus on is Anakin… Anakin above her, Anakin inside her and Anakin all around her. It's perfect. It's _home_. It's absolute bliss.

The bed shakes powerfully in time with Anakin's lustful aggression, colliding with the wall thrust after Earth shattering thrust, and Padme speaks to him in soft, sensual whispers of how much she loves him, how _good_ he looks and feels… And Anakin's fingers thread through her own where they're pinned beneath his palm as his eyes clench shut tightly in a poor attempt at maintaining what small measure of control he has left. " _Padme…"_ He moans, hips moving vigorously and she rocks up to meet him every time, seeking as much of pleasure as her body can steal. " _Fuck,_ Padme. You're so – _so…_ Good. So good for me… Ugh."

"Ani…" Is all Padme can say before he swoops down to take her lips in a forceful kiss and she's left utterly helpless beneath him, helpless _to_ him. But it's not enough… She needs something more now. She's _right there_ , on the edge of ecstasy, and thrust pushes her closer and closer to the physical euphoria both their bodies crave so desperately. But… She just… She _can't_ get there. Something's missing.

Tearing her lips away, Padme breaks her wrist free of his tight hold and cards a hand through his long locks again, letting the thick, sandy-blonde waves slip between her fingers until her nails scrape gently against his scalp and _fists_ tightly, making Anakin hiss against her throat with the slight pain of it. "Ani, I want to be on top…" She whispers. " _Now."_

Unable to deny her anything, especially such a passionate demand, Anakin emits a small, _aroused_ , breath and nods gently. She needs this, to dance her hips against his until they're both a puddle of sated exhaustion. Padme _needs_ Anakin beneath her, submissive to her will… She likes to watch his face as he loses his control. _Nothing_ is as arousing as the way he tenses beneath her, stiffening against the onslaught of _pleasure_ she wrings out of his body. She wants it _so badly._ Gently withdrawing himself from her body, Anakin rolls to the side with an elegance few others possess and settles onto his back against the pillows with a wide, entirely enticed smile. _"Oh, to be so loved…"_ That's what her sister once said about the way Anakin looks at her… And Padme has never forgotten it. Even now, in the midst of some of the most _intimate_ moments of their life together, Anakin stares at Padme like she's some form of enthral being, never leering, only beholding… She never feels more _wanted,_ or attractive than she does in moments like these.

Slinging a leg over his strong hips, Padme's eyes flick downward to watch his hands fill with her waist and feels her lip twitch just slightly with the urge to smile. Her own hands settle on Anakin's shoulders, _squeezing_ into the hard flesh tightly as their bodies align themselves once more and –

 _Oh…_

Throwing her head back against the onslaught of sheer, heavenly pleasure, Padme feels the ends of her long hair tickle her lower back and rises up, onto her knees to lift herself off of him until merely the hard, swollen head of him remains within her. She keeps it slow, just for now, and Anakin's hands ascend her body, worshipping every inch of her pale, milky flesh and the contrast of her smooth skin against the work hardened rough palms is addictive. " _Yes…"_ She whispers, sinking onto him again, " _Yes… Oh,_ Ani…"

His thumbs circle Padme's soft areolas and her hips jerk automatically at the tease, creating a smug _wolfish_ grin upon his mouth. It doesn't last very long, one tight circle of her hips upon the next decent has Anakin's own head falling back against the headboard; eyes shut and jaw slack… His hands abandon her breasts to slip beneath the bunched up, abandoned nightie around her hips to guide her into more little circles upon each plunge. " _That…_ Oh Fuck! Keep… Just like that…"

Quite simply, there is no feeling which can ever compare to the sensation of Anakin deep within her body… To be filled so completely by the thick solidness of his arousal… He stretches her inner core so _deliciously,_ stirring the deepest pleasurable agony throughout every inch of Padme's body. There is so much more to their relationship than sex, their love is built upon a solid foundation of _trust_ , and a lifetime of affection borne of deep friendship. They'd been friends for _years_ before their romantic awakening for one another. And their decade of separation only made the desire for one another more intense, and truly reaffirmed just how much Padme loves Anakin and needs him in her life.

"Mm…" She sighs as he cups her breast again, squeezing gently. "I… I'm going to miss you so much…" Comes her whispered confession, breathless as their hips collide yet again. She _is_ going to miss him. _So much._ But she meant what she said, for Anakin's sake, she's willing to share him with his work for now… Even if it feels like her heart is being torn out of her chest when he leaves her. It's only a temporary arrangement, and it'll be over sooner than they both know it. But his absence is going to be felt every moment he isn't with her.

Beneath her, Anakin groans, low and husky, because there is _nothing_ he likes as much as her praise. He _thrives_ on it. "My Angel…" He whispers, which only serves to make her grin. _Angel…_ The once constant pet name he gave her as a love struck teenager… He doesn't use the term quite as often these days. They've just grown out of such things by now. But that doesn't mean Padme doesn't adore hearing it fall from his lips every now and again. Her grin quickly turns shy as she bends down, hovering _just_ above his mouth for a moment. It would be _so easy_ to just kiss him now, but she doesn't. There isn't any time, Anakin leans forward, the very tip of his tongue flicking out to taste the length of her throat, sending a shiver along her spine. "I'll miss you too. You have _no idea_ how much."

"I love you…"

"I _live_ for you."

It doesn't take much longer for their movements to quicken as the urgent _need_ rushing through their body intensifies. As he stiffens inside her, Anakin began to lose himself, panting harshly through his nose, jaw locked tight as his hips buck up to meet hers relentlessly. It's _hard_ , and passionate and _oh God,_ it's just what she needs. Padme _swears_ she's never been _this_ aroused in all her life… Not even in the midst of their little, back of the car reunion… She's so wet, and it makes the connection of their bodies so slick and easy. This isn't the usual case of mad, passionate lovemaking before their separation. No. It's… _More._ And less. It's pure _sex._ Just fiery lust coursing through their blood as their bodies strain to find that little piece of heaven on Earth with each other. Her hips ache at the constant, quick movements, but that doesn't deter Padme, not for one second. She ignores the slight pain and carries on riding her boyfriend to bliss.

" _Uh!'_ Every jab of his hard cock against her sweet spot draws another cry deep from Padme's throat. _'Ugh…"_ Her fingers find the cold steel of the decorative headboard and wrap themselves around it tightly, bracing herself against it as she rocks her hips in quick, desperate movements over Anakin's. "Yes… Ohgodoh _God…"_ Suddenly, she throws her head back with a _loud,_ indistinguishable cry, unable to so much as string together Anakin's name as the pleasure burns white hot and explodes throughout every inch of her. Moments later, and a few shaky thrusts, Anakin joins her with an almost _pained_ groan, and Padme rides them both through it, wringing every drop of pleasure she can, while she has the chance. It seems to last forever, and yet, it's not nearly long enough.

As she slumps over his body and falls easily into the slow, _loving_ kiss Anakin gives her, only one thought fills her sleepy, incredibly sated, mind.

 _She is so late for work._

* * *

Dorme greets her with a wide, Cheshire cat grin when Padme rushes into her office, arms full of documents and folders and hastily drops them onto her desk. As she suspected, there's already a very large, very intimidating pile of paperwork waiting for her, and she doesn't want to know how many e-mails currently fill up her inbox. After dropping Anakin off at the airport and enduring a painful, lingering goodbye, she got herself caught in the _worst_ traffic holdup in the world. It's really just her luck…

"Bail has been through twice to see you." Her brunette assistant smirks from where she sits opposite Padme's desk and she just barely manages to _not_ groan. _Oh no…_ She was supposed to meet with Bail to discuss the legislation about tracking online behaviour President Mothma is attempting to force through congress. This is _extremely_ important and she completely forgot all about it in favour of those… Shenanigans with Anakin this morning.

" _Shit…"_ Never one to normally curse, Padme leans two hands on the desk and closes her eyes. This is bad. Very bad. They need every moment they can get to work toward undoing this! It's an invasion of every American citizen's privacy veiled behind 'security'. She's supposed to be a _professional…_ But this morning with Anakin was important too. Who knows how long they're going to have to be apart? They _needed_ this morning, and despite this mess, Padme just can't regret it.

"Well, it seems like you had a _lovely_ morning, at least. Worth missing your meeting with Bail." Dorme chuckles and walks around the table to sift through the various documents for sorting out. It's physically difficult, to hide her agreeing and not divulge _exactly_ how lovely this morning has been until now… As much as she would love to tell her friend all about it, and she _will_ , now isn't the time. Her office is not the place for girl talk. It's for work. Which she _should_ be doing right now.

"I just slept in, that's all. Please call Bail and let him know I'm on my way to speak with him now." Padme requests as she hurriedly steps toward the office door. The sooner she can reach Bail's office, the sooner she can wholeheartedly apologise for keeping him waiting. It's just not like her to do this… Hopefully, that can buy her a little goodwill.

"Of course." Dorme nods behind her. "But, Padme?"

"Yes?" She freezes by the doorway, frowning. _She doesn't have time for this…_

"Your skirt is on backwards."


	7. Chapter 7

"So, the OB-YN says that from the dates we figured out, I _should_ be far along enough now that we can do the scan… Ani?" Cheek leaning in the secure comfort of her palm, elbow on the desk, Padme has to bite back a long, frustrated sigh as the screen stills yet again. She _hates_ this, speaking to Anakin over _Skype_ of all things about the baby just doesn't feel right. They should be together while figuring these things out, not conversing screen to screen! And half the time the program only glitches and freezes… Just like now. _Technically,_ it is Padme's fault... She _could_ have called him the very moment she left her doctor's office yesterday and shared the news then, without this interruption, but she _wanted_ to see his face when he heard the news.

But all she sees now is a frozen cluster of pixels.

"What?" His broken voice flows out of the screen of her laptop, while the image of his face lags, blurs and then finally blacks out for a few moments. "Padme, I can't hear what you're saying." This is _not_ going how she imagined it would. She's been looking forward to this moment since she heard the news, imagining just how his eyes may shine with excited elation at knowing soon they're going to actually _see_ their baby and hear it's little heartbeat… But the disfigured sticking picture before her now is quite… Disheartening in comparison.

It's not just breaking the news Padme has been anticipating, but just _seeing_ him. They may speak every night over the phone and exchange a few texts here and there throughout the day, but it's just _not_ the same as being able to see his face while they speak. It's only been two weeks since Anakin returned home but his absence cuts her heart to shreds every moment they're apart… Melodramatic, maybe, but she misses him _so much._ More than any words she could possibly string together could portray. Going to her cold bed alone every night and waking up equally so has left Padme in a _constantly_ despondent mood and it's been felt across every aspect of her life. She's been snapping at poor Dorme at work for the littlest inconveniences and utterly disinterested in _anything_ Sola says when she calls and _worst_ of all, her inability to _focus_ on anything. All of that, coupled with her new daily routine of emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl mere moments after waking up has left Padme _far_ from happy.

"The _scan,_ Anakin." She tries again, "We can have the scan any time now. We just have to arrange when and –"

Suddenly, what little she _can_ see of his face morphs into blue and black dots spread around the screen and freezes for a moment before fading into a disappointing black mirror. After a second, a small box pops up where Anakin's face should be with the words, " _Call failed. Retry?"_

With her plans thwarted, Padme whirls around in her chair, away from the desk to grab her purse instead, huffing and mumbling grumpily beneath her breath. Maybe she won't be able to see his face when she tells him, but at least she'll _actually_ be able to tell him without constant technical interruptions. She finds her phone quickly and her thumbs tap away at the screen to Anakin's saved contact in her address book as fast as they can, and a moment later, she brings the device to her ear. This has been a _complete_ disaster… But surely, it can't _possibly_ get any worse? Finally, after what feels like forever, the call begins and she waits as it rings.

And rings.

And rings.

And eventually, stops.

" _Seriously?"_ She hisses into the phone and angrily ends the call without leaving a message. _How_ can he not be right beside his phone? Or trying to call her? She was _obviously_ just trying to tell him something when the Skype call was cut off, isn't that enough motivation for him to actually _use_ his damn phone to hear her out? Not bothering to leave a message, Padme drops her cell back into her purse and pulls herself out of the chair. She doesn't have any more time to keep trying this nonsense; she has to get to work. They can just talk later. After all, there's no rush to book the scan, not really… She only hoped to do it sooner than later. Because then they'll know everything is alright, and the baby is healthy and safe and then they can finally tell people. It's been horrible, keeping this secret from her family and friends! There's _nothing_ Padme wants more than to share this news with the people she loves, especially since more often than not, she and Anakin have to be apart and the extra support will be extremely appreciated. But, it can wait. For now, she can wait.

Xoxx

Luckily, Padme runs into Bail outside the building as she climbs out of her cab and carefully places her phone earpiece into her ear and fiddles with the buttons to activate it. The little piece of technology has been a _Godsend_ over the last few years. There's nothing more frustrating than attempting to type up bills while balancing a phone against her ear and shoulder while in heavy negotiations or listening to a complaint from a member of the public. It was a gift from Bail just last year after he stepped into her office to find her attempting to do just that, and she's treasured it ever since.

"Good morning, Padme." He smiles at her and tugs on his light grey suit jacket to adjust any wrinkles from the commute. The smile, however, doesn't meet his eyes and Padme knows him well enough to immediately sense something's bothering him. Their long ago ended romantic relationship lasted the course of a just over a year, but she grew to care for him so very much, but in a way that didn't make her heart sing or her body stir. Looking back, she can see how despite her loving him, because she _did,_ it wasn't in the right way. It verged on _platonic_. She was settling for what felt comfortable, not what was right. Now that they're free of the romantic restraints they set upon one another, Padme holds Bail close as one of her dearest friends in the world, and truthfully, she wouldn't have it any other way.

"There's something wrong." She doesn't bother to repeat his routinely well wishing. If something's happened, she'd rather know what it is now, not dance around the subject until the conversation naturally leads to whatever revelation he has. For a moment, Bail's smile becomes real, and it shines with a soft admiration and amusement at her brashness.

They reach the impeccable glass doors and Padme forces herself to smile in thanks as Bail tugs on the pretty chrome hand bar and holds the door open for her to enter. He's always such a gentleman. Once they're inside, the lobby is filled with people both politicians and visitors and the usual security guards poised in their designated spots. It's busy and _loud_ , and Padme narrows her eyes. It's _never_ this crowded here, especially not on a Monday morning… Something like this only happens if there's been a change, or announcement or –

"What has she done?" The words leave her lips without any thought and a sudden weariness comes over Padme that has nothing to do with the baby. There's only one person who has the ability to inspire such activity here… Someone whose beliefs _constantly_ have the country split in two.

President Mothma.

Padme herself campaigned for the woman, she believes in her _wholeheartedly_ , but that doesn't mean she agrees with everything that she does. Sometimes there are movements made in congress that make her want to tear her own hair out, but that's the very nature of politics. It's why she's here, it's why Bail's here, to ensure that the rights of the people are maintained, to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. They work to balance the power of politicians and people. It's what _drives_ her every single day. It makes Padme feel _alive_. But on days like this, where she can sense the impending trouble, she almost wishes she could hide away from everything and leave it to someone else for once.

But she can't. She _won't._

The shiny elevator doors pull apart so Bail and Padme can step inside and he makes quick work of pressing the button to shut them right away ensuring no one else enters with them. It's a private conversation he wants then. Something he doesn't want to be overheard by anyone around them… That only serves to make her feel even worse. The first pull of the elevator rising settles a sense of freedom upon them both. No one else will be getting in now, so whatever Bail has to tell her, it's between only them, and the hairs on the back of her neck rise up in anticipation. No one is more loyal to Mon Mothma than Bail, they've been friends for _years_ both professionally and personally _._ He worked extremely hard to see that she won the White House and it paid off – Padme has never seen him nearly as _proud_ as she did at the inauguration. But something tells her; whatever has happened might have shaken that friendship this time, perhaps even irreparably so.

She opts for silence to allow Bail a little time to collect himself and talk when he's ready. Sometimes he needs quiet before speaking his mind. He's a little like Anakin in that regard… Although when pushed, Anakin has the tendency to become… Violate. More so than Bail could ever _dream_ of becoming. In contrast, he simply retreats into the quiet of his mind to seek calmness, rather than lashing out. They're two extremely different men. When compared, it's almost unbelievable that she could have fallen for them both. Such drastic differences in personality usually attract different types of people… Normally someone who fell for Bail could never understand Anakin and vice versa. But _Padme_ did. And knowing what she knows now, it's almost laughable that she ever thought she could live her life without Anakin by her side. Although, this morning, the mere _thought_ of him only worsens her mood after their disastrous Skype session. So Padme casts off all thoughts of Anakin for now and focuses on Bail. There's time to mull on her relationship, and there's time for her to focus on her career and this is it. Still, she feels her face fall into a scowl at just the memory of this morning… _No_! She has to focus.

"Mon has, well, she's attempting to force a bill through congress as quickly as possible." Bail mutters after a few minutes of silence and Padme raises her eyebrow. That's not like her at all… Much like Padme, Mon has always believed that politics should be a transparent process where nothing but the strictly necessary is hidden from the people. But this doesn't align with those beliefs. Not at all. "And it's something… Something I would never have believed she could want. _Never._ "

"Bail, what is it?" He's worrying her now. Something that can work him up into such a worried frenzy like this must be truly terrible. "What's the bill?" If it's truly this bad, why didn't anyone call her? She should have known what was waiting for her here before even leaving her apartment this morning!

"She wants to have the right to track everything people do online. To follow every word they type, every website they look at, anything downloaded or viewed… You get the picture. I – I just…" Padme watches him stutter and stumble over each distraught word quietly, eyes wide. Mass surveillance across the country? That's… It's – it's the every _opposite_ of freedom. Mon is supposed to be the leader of the free world for God's sake! _Why_ would she ever think doing something like this could be a good idea?

"What? _Why_?" She cries, "We're supposed to pride ourselves on the freedom of this country, not a disturbing lack of privacy." No wonder there's such a flurry downstairs… She's willing to bet there's already news coverage all about this live across the entire country right now!

"In the name of security." Bail sighs as the elevator stills with a high _ding_ and the doors part for them to step off. The second they do so, Dorme flies around the corner, white-faced, tall heels clicking with every frantic footstep and Padme has a sinking feeling she knows _exactly_ what's wrong. Her assistant gives Bail a polite, respectful nod and taps at the iPad resting in the crook of her arm for a moment before her eyes flick up to meet Padme's again.

"Representative Amidala…" Dorme smiles, using Padme's official title for Bail's sake, "The phone has been ringing off the hook this morning, and I've been trying to sift through your emails, but there's just so _many_ and I wasn't sure what you want to address personally or…" As she trails off, Padme raises a hand up to rub her forehead softly. She was wrong earlier… It can, and _has_ gotten worse.

"Phone calls from who?" She asks, sparing Bail a quick glance from the corner of her eye. If it's this bad for _her_ so early on, Padme doesn't _want_ to know how many people are trying to communicate with him! He's a full pledged congressman; people are going to hold _him_ responsible for either supporting or fighting this depending upon their viewpoints. She doesn't envy that.

"The constituents…" Dorme winces and Padme's eyes fall shut for a long moment. _She has a bad feeling about this._ "Oh, and um, you also have a call from Anakin… I told him I'd have you call him once you got here." Anakin called? Here? _Now_ he remembers how to actually pick up his phone? The mention of his name makes her purse her lips into a tight thin line. This is _really_ bad timing. Not only is her schedule _packed_ this morning with a number of messages building up in her inbox, but despite always _meaning_ to slip it into the conversation, Padme hasn't mentioned Anakin to Bail yet. They're friends, and really, it's none of his business, but something in the back of her head has always nagged at her to tell him, that he _should_ know that she's in a relationship with another man now. Of course, he knows all about Anakin as her _ex-boyfriend_ but when she told him that, that's all Anakin was, a piece of her past, not her future… She feels so _guilty_ about not saying anything, as if her relationship is a dirty secret to kept hiddenaway when in reality, she's happily in a loving, _committed_ relationship with the _father of her child_. Padme only wishes she'd brought it up sooner.At each of her sides, her hands curl into fists as both Bail and Dorme watch her quietly, both waiting for her to speak, and for one horrible moment, she has _no idea_ what to say.

"Alright," She begins at last, "Call him back and tell him I'm busy, and we'll speak later. And as for everyone else…" Her teeth sink into her poor lip for a few seconds, "Tell them… Tell them I'm in the middle of a crisis and to message my public e-mail. We can work through the messages together later." Dorme nods and hurries off with her instructions toward Padme's office down the hall as Bail's face falls into a careful mask as he gestures toward the door of his own office, and she nods. Personal issues aside, they have a lot to speak about.

Once they're inside and Bail's own assistant leaves them alone, Padme falls heavily onto the beautiful sleek back, wingback chair opposite the large desk with a long sigh. "She said this is about security?" She asks and Bail carefully seats himself in his own chair with a single stiff nod. "But this is anti-democratic! No one voted for this."

"I haven't had an opportunity to read through the entire mandate yet, but there is support from the Palpatine's camp on this… She wants a congress vote to be held next week."

"Next week?" Padme cries, "But that's not nearly enough time to educate everyone on exactly what this means – it'll be too late by the time people begin to realise how at threat their rights are." As she speaks, Bail own eyes fall closed, and his fingers drum against the armrest of his chair. Mon can't be allowed to do this, she can't simply sneak something of such important through congress as if it's nothing more than a change to road tax!

"She doesn't want education, Padme, she wants a spin on it. She wants everyone – even us – to comfort the public into believing that this is for the best. Our released statements should confirm that if there is nothing to hide, and that people who have nothing to hide should embrace this." Padme shakes her head, lost for words. If _Sheev Palpatine_ of all people agrees with this, that's a sign within itself that it's a terrible idea. Mon should know that! She can't be expected to support this and release a statement claiming to do just that. It goes against _everything_ Padme believes in.

"How very ' _1984'_ …" She whispers, "I _won't_ do it, Bail _._ I can't."

"Neither can I." He declares and stands up suddenly, rounding the table to lean upon the edge, closer to her... "I already have plans to delay the vote for a few months, but to truly fight this; I'm going to need your help. Can I count on you?" His question is paired with an outstretched hand, and for a moment, Padme eyes it warily. She _should_ have nothing to do with this… It's only going to stress her out and eat up what little free time she has left after her work and _none_ of that is any good for the baby. The doctor said she should be taking it easy, and Anakin has been fussing about lowering her workload _already…_ But, could she live with herself if she turned away from this and the bill was passed? Could she?

Without a further moment of hesitation, Padme leans forward and shakes Bail's hand with a small, forced smile and she doesn't miss the relief which shines clear upon his face as she does. "Count me in."


End file.
